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PLATE     I. 


ANCIENT    PAGAN 


MODERN  CHRISTIAN   SYMBOLISM 


THOMAS   INMAN,  M.D., 

OTHOR  OF  "ANCIENT  FAITHS  EMBODIED  IN  ANCIENT  NAMI 


REVISED   AND   ENLARGED. 

WITH  AN  ESSAY  ON  BAAL  WORSHIP,  ON  THE  ASSYRIAN 
SACRED  "GROVE,"  AND  OTHER  ALLIED  SYMBOLS. 

BY 

JOHN   NEWTON,  M.R.C.S.E.,  ETC. 


/<wrtl)  Cbitton. 

WITH   TWO   HUNDBED   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


NEW    YORK : 

J.  W.  BOUTON,  706  BEOADWAY. 

1884. 


PKEFACE  TO  FIEST  EDITION. 


THE  woodcuts  in  the  present  volume  originally  appeared  in  a 
large  work,  in  two  thick  volumes,  entitled  Ancient  Faiths 
embodied  in  Ancient  Names.  It  has  been  suggested  to  me 
by  many,  that  a  collection  of  these  Figures,  and  their  explana- 
tion, are  more  likely  to  be  generally  examined  than  a  very 
voluminous  book.  The  one  is,  as  it  were,  an  alphabet; 
the  other,  an  essay.  The  one  opens  the  eyes;  the  other 
gives  them  opportunities  to  use  their  vision.  The  one 
teaches  to  read;  the  other  affords  means  for  practice.  As  the 
larger  work  endeavours  to  demonstrate  the  existence  of  a 
state  of  things  almost  unknown  to  the  British  public,  so  it  is 
necessary  to  furnish  overwhelming  proof  that  the  allegations 
and  accusations  made  against  certain  nations  of  antiquity, 
and  some  doctrines  of  Christianity,  are  substantially  true. 
Consequently,  the  number  of  witnesses  is  greater  than  is 
absolutely  necessary  to  prove  the  point. 

12,  RODNEY  STREET,  LIVERPOOL, 
July,  1869. 


2038731 


PEEFACE  TO  SECOND  EDITION. 


THE  demand  which  has  sprung  up  for  this  work  has  induced 
the  Author  to  make  it  more  complete  than  it  was  originally. 
But  it  could  not  be  made  perfect  without  being  expanded 
into  a  volume  whose  size  would  be  incompatible  with  cheap- 
ness. When  every  Figure  would  supply  a  text  for  a  long 
discourse,  a  close  attention  is  required  lest  a  description 
should  be  developed  into  a  dissertation. 

In  this  work,  the  Author  is  obliged  to  confine  himself  to 
the  explanation  of  symbols,  and  cannot  launch  out  into 
ancient  and  modern  faiths,  except  in  so  far  as  they  are 
typified  by  the  use  of  certain  conventional  signs. 

A  great  many  who  peruse  a  book  like  this  for  the  first 
time,  and  find  how  strange  were  the  ideas  which  for  some 
thousands  of  years  permeated  the  religious  opinions  of  the 
civilised  world,  might  naturally  consider  that  the  Author  is  a 
mere  visionary  —  one  who  is  possessed  of  a  hobby  that  he 
rides  to  death.  Such  a  notion  is  strengthened  by  finding 
that  there  is  scarcely  any  subject  treated  of  except  the  one 
which  associates  religion,  a  matter  of  the  highest  aim  to 
man,  with  ideas  of  the  most  intensely  earthly  kind.  But 
a  thoughtful  reader  will  readily  discern  that  an  essay  on 
Symbolism  must  be  confined  to  visible  emblems.  By  no 


fair  means  can  an  author  who  makes  the  crucifix  his  text 
introduce  the  subject  of  the  Confessional,  the  Eucharist,  or 
Extreme  Unction.  Nor  can  one,  who  knows  that  Buddha 
and  Jesus  alike  inaugurated  a  faith  which  was  unmarked  by 
visible  symbolism,  bring  into  an  interpretation  of  emblems  a 
comparison  between  the  preaching  of  two  such  distinguished 
men.  In  like  manner,  the  Author  is  obliged  to  pass  over 
the  difference  between  Judaism,  Christianity  as  propounded 
by  the  son  of  Mary,  and  that  which  passes  current  for 
Christianity  in  Rome  and  most  countries  of  Europe. 

All  these  points,  and  many  more,  have  been  somewhat 
fully  discussed  in  the  Author's  larger  work,  so  often  referred 
to  in  this,  and  to  that  he  must  refer  the  curious.  The 
following  pages  are  simply  a  chapter  taken  from  a  book, 
complete  perhaps  in  itself,  but  only  as  a  brick  may  be 
perfect,  without  giving  to  an  individual  any  idea  of  the  size, 
style,  or  architecture  of  the  house  from  which  it  has  been 
taken.  If  readers  will  regard  these  pages  as  a  beam  in 
a  building,  the  Author  will  be  content. 

8,  VYVYAN  TERRACE, 

CLIFTON,  BRISTOL, 

August,  1874. 


INTRODUCTION. 


IT  may,  we  think,  be  taken  for  granted,  that  nothing  is, 
or  has  ever  been,  adopted  into  the  service  of  Religion, 
without  a  definite  purpose.  If  it  be  supposed  that  a  religion 
is  built  upon  the  foundation  of  a  distinct  revelation  from  the 
Almighty,  as  the  Hebrew  is  said  to  be,  there  is  a  full  belief 
that  every  emblem,  rite,  ceremony,  dress,  symbol,  etc.,  has 
a  special  signification.  Many  earnest  Christians,  indeed,  see 
in  Judaic  ordinances  a  reference  to  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  I 
have,  for  example,  heard  a  pious  man  assert  that  "leprosy" 
was  only  another  word  for  "  sin " ;  but  he  was  greatly 
staggered  in  this  belief  when  I  pointed  out  to  him  that  if 
a  person's  whole  body  was  affected  he  was  no  longer  unclean 
(Lev.  xiii.  13),  which  seemed  on  the  proposed  hypothesis  to 
demonstrate  that  when  a  sinner  was  as  black  as  hell  he 
was  the  equal  of  a  saint.  According  to  such  an  interpreter, 
the  paschal  lamb  is  a  type  of  Jesus,  and  consequently  all 
whom  his  blood  sprinkles  are  blocks  of  wood,  lintels,  and 
side-posts  (Exod.  xii.  22,  23).  By  the  same  style  of  meta- 
phorical reasoning,  Jesus  was  typified  by  the  "scape-goat," 
and  the  proof  is  clear,  for  one  was  driven  away  into  the 
wilderness,  and  the  other  voluntarily  went  there  —  one  to 
be  destroyed,  the  other  to  be  tempted  by  the  devil !  Hence 
we  infer  that  there  is  nothing  repugnant  to  the  minds  of  the 
pious  in  an  examination  respecting  the  use  of  symbols,  and 
into  that  which  is  shadowed  forth  by  them.  What  has 
been  done  for  Judaism  may  be  attempted  for  other  forms  of 
religion. 


As  the  Hebrews  and  Christians  believe  their  religion 
to  be  God-given,  so  other  nations,  having  a  different 
theology,  regard  their  own  peculiar  tenets.  Though  we  may, 
with  that  unreasoning  prejudice  and  blind  bigotry  which  are 
common  to  the  Briton  and  the  Spaniard,  and  pre-eminently 
so  to  the  mass  of  Irish  and  Scotchmen  amongst  ourselves, 
and  to  the  Carlists  in  the  peninsula,  disbelieve  a  heathen 
pretension  to  a  divine  revelation,  we  cannot  doubt  that  the 
symbols,  etc.,  of  Paganism  have  a  meaning,  and  that  it  is  as 
lawful  to  scrutinise  the  mysteries  which  they  enfold  as  it  is 
to  speculate  upon  the  Urim  and  Thummim  of  the  Jews. 
Yet,  even  this  freedom  has,  by  some,  been  denied  ;  for  there 
are  a  few  amongst  us  who  adhere  rigidly  to  the  precept 
addressed  to  the  followers  of  Moses,  viz.,  "  Take  heed  that 
thou  enquire  not  after  their  gods,  saying,  How  did  these 
nations  serve  their  gods  ?  "  (Deut.  xii.  30.)  The  intention 
of  the  prohibition  thus  enunciated  is  well  marked  in  the 
following  words,1  which  indicate  that  the  writer  believed  that 
the  adoption  of  heathen  gods  would  follow  inquiry  respecting 
them.  It  is  not  now-a-days  feared  that  we  may  become 
Mahometans  if  we  read  the  Koran,  or  Buddhists  if  we  study 
the  Dhammapada ;  but  there  are  priests  who  fear  that  an 
inquiry  into  ecclesiastical  matters  may  make  their  followers 
Papists,  Protestants,  Wesleyans,  Baptists,  Unitarians,  or 
some  other  religion  which  the  Presbytery  object  to.  The 
dislike  of  inquiry  ever  attends  those  who  profess  a  religion 
which  is  believed  or  known  to  be  weak. 

The  philosopher  of  the  present  day,  being  freed  from  the 
shackles  once  riveted  around  him  by  a  dominant  hierarchy, 
may  regard  the  precept  in  Deuteronomy  in  another  light. 
Seeing  that  the  same  symbolism  is  common  to  many  forms  of 
religion,  professed  in  countries  widely  apart  both  as  regards 
time  and  space,  he  thinks  that  the  danger  of  inquiry  into 

1  "  even  so  will  I  do  likewise." 


faiths  is  not  the  adoption  of  foreign,  but  the  relinquishment 
of  present  methods  of  religious  belief.  When  we  see  the 
same  ideas  promulgated  as  divine  truth,  on  the  ancient  banks 
of  the  Ganges,  and  the  modern  shores  of  the  Mediterranean, 
we  are  constrained  to  admit  that  they  have  something  com- 
mon in  their  source.  They  may  be  the  result  of  celestial 
revelation,  or  they  may  all  alike  emanate  from  human 
ingenuity.  As  men  invent  new  forms  of  religion  now,  there 
is  a  presumption  that  others  may  have  done  so  formerly.  As 
all  men  are  essentially  human,  so  we  may  believe  that  their 
inventions  will  be  characterised  by  the  virtues  and  the  fail- 
ings of  humanity.  Again,  experience  tells  us  that  similarity 
in  thought  involves  similarity  in  action.  Two  sportsmen, 
seeing  a  hare  run  off  from  between  them,  will  fire  at  it 
so  simultaneously  that  each  is  unaware  that  the  other  shot. 
So  a  resemblance  in  religious  belief  will  eventuate  in  the 
selection  of  analogous  symbolism. 

We  search  into  emblems  with  an  intention  different  from 
that  with  which  we  inquire  into  ordinary  language.  The 
last  tells  us  of  the  relationship  of  nations  upon  Earth,  the 
first  of  the  probable  connections  of  mankind  with  Heaven. 
The  devout  Christian  believes  that  all  who  venerate  the  Cross 
may  hope  for  a  happy  eternity,  without  ever  dreaming  that 
the  sign  of  his  faith  is  as  ancient  as  Homeric  Troy,  and  was 
used  by  the  Phoenicians  probably  before  the  Jews  had  any 
existence  as  a  people;  whilst  an  equally  pious  Mahometan 
regards  the  Crescent  as  the  passport  to  the  realms  of  bliss, 
without  a  thought  that  the  symbol  was  in  use  long  before  the 
Prophet  of  Allah  was  born,  and  amongst  those  nations  which 
it  was  the  Prophet's  mission  to  convert  or  to  destroy. 
Letters  and  words  mark  the  ordinary  current  of  man's 
thought,  whilst  religious  symbols  show  the  nature  of  his 
aspirations.  But  all  have  this  in  common,  viz.,  that  they 
may  be  misunderstood.  Many  a  Brahmin  has  uttered 


prayers  in  a  language  to  him  unintelligible ;  and  many 
a  Christian  uses  words  in  his  devotions  of  which  he  never 
seeks  to  know  the  meaning.  "  Om  manee  pani,"  "  Om 
manee  padme  houm,"  "Amen"  and  "Ave  Maria  purissima" 
may  fairly  be  placed  in  the  same  category.  In  like  manner, 
the  signification  of  an  emblem  may  be  unknown.  The 
antiquary  finds  in  Lycian  coins,  and  in  Aztec  ruins,  figures 
for  which  he  can  frame  no  meaning ;  whilst  the  ordinary 
church-goer  also  sees,  in  his  place  of  worship,  designs  of 
which  none  can  give  him  a  rational  explanation.  Again,  we 
find  that  a  language  may  find  professed  interpreters,  whose 
system  of  exposition  is  wholly  wrong ;  and  the  same  may  be 
said  of  symbols.  I  have  seen,  for  example,  three  distinctly 
different  interpretations  given  to  one  Assyrian  inscription, 
and  have  heard  as  many  opposite  explanations  of  a  particu- 
lar figure,  all  of  which  have  been  incorrect. 

In  the  interpretation  of  unknown  languages  and  symbols, 
the  observer  gladly  allows  that  much  may  be  wrong ;  but  this 
does  not  prevent  him  believing  that  some  may  be  right.  In 
giving  his  judgment,  he  will  examine  as  closely  as  he  can 
into  the  system  adopted  by  each  inquirer,  the  amount  of 
materials  at  his  disposal,  and,  generally,  the  acumen  which 
has  been  brought  to  the  task.  Perhaps,  in  an  investigation 
such  as  we  describe,  the  most  important  ingredient  is  care  in 
collation  and  comparison.  But  a  scholar  can  only  collate 
satisfactorily  when  he  has  sufficient  means,  and  these 
demand  much  time  and  research.  The  labour  requires  more 
time  than  ordinary  working  folk  can  command,  and  more 
patience  than  those  who  have  leisure  are  generally  disposed 
to  give.  Unquestionably,  we  have  as  yet  had  few  attempts  in 
England  to  classify  and  explain  ancient  and  modern  symbols. 
It  is  perhaps  not  strictly  true  that  there  has  been  so  much  a 
laxity  in  the  research,  of  which  we  here  speak,  as  a  dread  of 
making  public  the  results  of  inquiry.  Investigators,  as  a 


rule,  have  a  respect  for  their  own  prejudices,  and  dislike 
to  make  known  to  others  a  knowledge  which  has  brought 
pain  to  their  own  minds.  Like  the  Brahmin  of  the  story, 
they  will  destroy  a  fine  microscope  rather  than  permit  their 
co-religionists  to  know  that  they  drink  living  creatures  in 
their  water,  or  eat  mites  in  their  fruit.  The  motto  of  such 
people  is,  "If  truth  is  disagreeable,  cling  to  error." 

The  following  attempts  to  explain  much  of  ancient  and 
modern  symbolism  can  only  be  regarded  as  tentative.  The 
various  devices  contained  herein  seem  to  me  to  support  the 
views  which  I  have  been  led  to  form  from  other  sources,  by  a 
careful  inquiry  into  the  signification  of  ancient  names,  and 
the  examination  of  ancient  faiths.  The  figures  were  ori- 
ginally intended  as  corroborative  of  evidence  drawn  from 
numerous  ancient  and  modern  writings;  and  the  idea  of 
collecting  them,  and,  as  it  were,  making  them  speak  for 
themselves,  has  been  an  after-thought.  In  the  following 
pages  I  have  simply  reprinted  the  figures,  etc.,  which  appear 
in  Ancient  Faiths  embodied  in  Ancient  Names  (second 
edition).  I  make  no  attempt  to  exhaust  the  subject.  There 
are  hundreds  of  emblems  which  find  herein  no  place ;  and 
there  are  explanations  of  symbols  current  to  which  I  make 
no  reference,  for  they  are  simply  exoteric. 

For  the  benefit  of  many  of  my  readers,  I  must  explain 
the  meaning  of  the  last  word  italicised.  In  most,  if  not  in 
all,  forms  of  religion,  there  are  tenets  not  generally  imparted 
to  the  vulgar,  and  only  given  to  a  select  few  under  the  seal 
of  secrecy.  A  similar  reticence  exists  in  common  life. 
There  are  secrets  kept  from  children,  for  example,  that  are 
commonly  known  to  all  parents ;  there  are  arcana,  familiar 
to  doctors,  of  which  patients  have  no  idea.  For  example, 
when  a  lad  innocently  asks  the  family  surgeon,  or  his  parent, 
where  the  last  new  baby  came  from,  he  is  put  off  with 
a  reply,  wide  of  the  mark,  yet  sufficient  for  him.  When  I 


put  such  a  question  to  the  maids  in  the  kitchen,  to  which 
place  for  a  time  I  was  relegated,  the  first  answer  was  that  the 
baby  came  from  the  parsley  bed.  On  hearing  this,  I  went 
into  the  garden,  and,  finding  the  bed  had  been  unmoved, 
came  back  and  reproached  my  informant  for  falsehood. 
Another  then  took  up  the  word,  and  said  it  was  the  carrot 
bed  which  the  baby  came  from.  As  a  roar  of  laughter 
followed  this  remark,  I  felt  that  I  was  being  cheated,  and 
asked  no  more  questions.  Then  I  could  not,  now  I  can, 
understand  the  esoteric  sense  of  the  sayings.  They  had 
to  the  servants  two  distinct  significations.  The  only  one 
which  I  could  then  comprehend  was  exoteric;  that  which 
was  known  to  my  elders  was  the  esoteric  meaning.  In 
what  is  called  "religion"  there  has  been  a  similar  distinc- 
tion. We  see  this,  not  only  in  the  "mysteries"  of  Greece 
and  Rome,  but  amongst  the  Jews;  Esdras  stating  the  follow- 
ing as  a  command  from  God,  "  Some  things  shalt  thou  pub- 
lish, and  some  things  shalt  thou  show  secretly  to  the  wise  " 
(2  Esdras  xv.  26). 

When  there  exist  two  distinct  explanations,  or  state- 
ments, about  the  signification  of  an  emblem,  the  one 
"esoteric,"  true,  and  known  only  to  the  few,  the  other 
"  exoteric/'  incorrect,  and  known  to  the  many,  it  is  clear 
that  a  time  may  come  when  the  first  may  be  lost,  and 
the  last  alone  remain.  As  an  illustration,  we  can  point  to 
the  original  and  correct  pronunciation  of  the  word  nim, 
commonly  pronounced  Jehovah.  Known  only  to  a  select 
few,  it  became  lost  when  these  died  without  imparting  it ; 
yet  what  is  considered  to  be  the  incorrect  method  of  pro- 
nouncing the  word  survives  until  to-day.* 

*  It  is  supposed  by  some  that  Jahveh  is  the  proper  pronunciation  of  this 
word,  but  as  the  first  letter  may  represent  i,  ja,  ya,  or  e,  arid  the  third  u,  v, 
or  o,  whilst  the  second  and  fourth  are  the  soft  A,  one  may  read  the  word  Jhuh. 
analogous  to  the  Ju  in  Jupiter ;  Jehu,  the  name  of  a  king  of  Israel ;  Yahu  as 
it  is  read  on  Assyrian  inscriptions  ;  JeJio,  as  in  Jehoshaphat ;  Ehoh,  analogous  to 


xiii 

We  may  fairly  assume  that,  when  two  such  meanings 
exist,  they  are  not  identical,  and  that  the  one  most  com- 
monly received  is  not  the  correct  one.  But  when  one  alone 
is  known  to  exist,  it  becomes  a  question  whether  another 
should  be  sought.  If,  it  may  be  asked,  the  common  people 
are  contented  with  a  fable,  believing  it  true,  why  seek  to 
enlighten  them  upon  its  hidden  meaning  ?  To  show  the 
bearing  of  this  subject,  let  us  notice  what  has  always  struck 
me  as  remarkable.  The  second  commandment  declares  to 
the  Jews,  "Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any  graven 
image,  or  any  likeness  of  anything  that  is  in  heaven  above, 
or  that  is  in  the  earth  beneath,  or  that  is  in  the  water  under 
the  earth ;  thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to  them,"  etc. 
(Exod.  xx.  4).  Yet  we  find,  in  Numbers  xxi.,  that  Jehovah 
ordered  Moses  to  frame  a  brazen  serpent,  whose  power  was 
so  miraculous  that  those  who  only  looked  at  it  were  cured  of 
the  evils  inflicted  by  thanatoid  snakes. 

Then  again,  in  the  temple  of  the  God  who  is  reported 
to  have  thus  spoken,  and  who  is  also  said  to  have  declared 
that  He  would  dwell  in  the  house  that  Solomon  made 
for  Him,  an  ark,  or  box,  was  worshipped,  and  over  it 
Cherubim  were  seen.  These  were  likenesses  of  something, 
and  the  first  was  worshipped.  We  find  it  described  as 
being  so  sacred  that  death  once  followed  a  profane  touching 
of  it  (2  Sam.  vi.  6,  7),  and  no  fewer  than  50,070  people  were 
done  to  death  at  Bethshemesh  because  somebody  had  ven- 
tured to  look  inside  the  box,  and  had  tried  to  search  into 
the  mystery  contained  therein  (1  Sam.  vi.  19).  It  is  curious 

the  Evoe  or  Euoe  associated  with  Bacchus ;  and  Jdho,  analogous  to  the  J.  A.  O. 
of  the  Gnostics.  The  Greek  "Fathers"  give  the  word  as  if  equivalent  to  yave, 
yaoh,  yeho,  and  iao. 

But  the  question  is  not  how  the  word  may  be  pronounced,  but  how  it  was 
expressed  in  sound  when  used  in  religion  by  the  Hebrew  and  other  Semitic 
nations,  amongst  whom  it  was  a  sacred  secret,  or  ineffable  name,  not  lightly 
to  be  "  taken  in  vain." 


xiv 

that  the  Philistines,  who  must  have  touched  the  box  to  put 
their  strange  offerings  beside  it  (see  1  Sam.  vi.  8),  were  not 
particularly  bothered.  They  were  "profane";  and  priests 
only  invent  stories,  which  are  applicable  to  the  arcana  which 
they  use  in  worship,  to  blind  the  eyes  of  and  give  a  holy 
horror  to  the  people  whom  they  govern.  How  David  wor- 
shipped the  ark  as  being  the  representative  of  God  we  see  in 
2  Sam.  vi.  14,  16,  17,  21. 

The  ark  of  the  covenant  was  indeed  regarded  by  the  Jews 
much  as  a  saint's  toe-nail,  a  crucifix,  an  image  of  the  Virgin, 
a  bit  of  wood,  or  a  rusty  old  nail  is  by  the  Roman  Catholics. 
So  flagrant  an  apparent  breach  of  the  second  commandment 
was  covered  for  the  common  Hebrews  by  the  assertion  that 
the  mysterious  box  was  a  token  of  God's  covenant  with  His 
people ;  but  that  this  statement  was  "  exoteric,"  we  feel  sure, 
when  we  find  a  similar  ark  existing  and  used  in  "  the  myste- 
ries "  of  Egypt  and  Greece,  amongst  people  who  probably 
never  heard  of  Jews,  and  could  by  no  chance  know  what 
passed  in  the  Hebrew  temple. 

When  become  dissatisfied  with  a  statement,  which  is 
evidently  intended  to  be  a  blind,  some  individuals  naturally 
endeavour  to  ascertain  what  is  behind  the  curtain.  In  this 
they  resemble  the  brave  boy,  who  rushes  upon  a  sheet  and 
turnip  lantern,  which  has  imposed  upon  his  companions  and 
passed  for  a  ghost.  What  is  a  bugbear  to  the  many  is  often 
a  contemptible  reptile  to  the  few.  Yet  there  are  a  great 
number  who  would  rather  run  from  a  phantom  night  after 
night  than  grapple  with  it  once,  and  would  dissuade  others 
from  being  bold  enough  to  encounter  it.  Nevertheless,  even 
the  former  rejoice  when  the  cheat  is  exposed. 

As  when,  by  some  courageous  hand,  that  which  has  been 
mistaken  by  hundreds  for  a  spectre  has  been  demonstrated  to 
be  a  crafty  man,  no  one  would  endeavour  to  demonstrate  the 
reality  of  ghosts  by  referring  to  the  many  scores  of  men 


of  all  ranks  who  had  been  duped  by  the  apparition  thus 
detected ;  so,  in  like  manner,  when  the  falsehood  of  an 
exoteric  story  is  exhibited,  it  is  no  argument  in  its  favour 
that  the  vulgar  in  thousands  and  many  a  wise  man  have 
believed  it.  Speaking  metaphorically,  we  have  many  such 
ghosts  amongst  ourselves  ;  phantoms,  which  pass  for  power- 
ful giants,  but  are  in  reality  perfect  shams.  Such  we  may 
describe  by  comparing  them  to  the  apocryphal  vampires.  It 
is  to  me  a  melancholy  thing  to  contemplate  the  manner 
in  which  mankind  have,  in  every  age  and  nation,  made  for 
themselves  bugbears,  and  then  have  felt  fear  at  them.  We 
deride  the  African,  who  manufactures  a  Fetish,  and  then 
trembles  at  its  power,  but  the  learned  know  perfectly  well 
that  men  made  the  devil,  whom  the  pious  fear,  just  as  a 
negro  dreads  Mumbo  Jumbo. 

In  the  fictitious  narratives  which  passed  for  truth  in  the 
dark  ages  of  Christianity,  there  were  accounts  of  individuals 
who  died  and  were  buried,  and  who,  after  a  brief  repose  in 
the  tomb,  rose  again.  Some  imagined  that  the  resusci- 
tated being  was  the  identical  one  who  had  been  interred. 
Others  believed  that  some  evil  spirit  had  appropriated  the 
body,  and  restored  to  it  apparent  vitality.  Whatever  the  fiction 
was,  the  statement  remained  unchallenged,  that  some  dead 
folk  returned  to  earth,  having  the  same  guise  as  when  they 
quitted  it.  We  believe  that  a  similar  occurrence  has  taken 
place  in  religion.  Heathendom  died,  and  was  buried ;  yet, 
after  a  brief  interval,  it  rose  again  from  its  tomb.  But, 
unlike  the  vampire,  its  garb  was  changed,  and  it  was 
not  recognised.  It  moved  through  Christendom  in  a  seduc- 
tive dress.  If  it  were  a  devil,  yet  its  clothing  was  that  of  a 
sheep ;  if  a  wolf,  it  wore  broadcloth.  If  it  ravened,  the 
victims  were  not  pitied.  Heathenism,  by  which  I  mean  the 
manners,  morals  and  rites  prevalent  in  pagan  times  or 
countries,  like  a  resuscitated  vampire,  once  bore  rule  through- 


out  Christendom,  in  which  term  is  included  all  those  parts 
where  Christian  baptism  is  used  by  all  the  people,  or  the 
vast  majority.  In  most  parts  it  still  reigns  supreme. 

When  vampires  were  discovered  by  the  acumen  of  any 
observer,  they  were,  we  are  told,  ignominiously  killed,  by  a 
stake  being  driven  through  the  body  ;  but  experience  showed 
them  to  have  such  tenacity  of  life  that  they  rose  again, 
and  again,  notwithstanding  renewed  impalement,  and  were 
not  ultimately  laid  to  rest  till  wholly  burnt.  In  like  manner, 
the  regenerated  Heathendom,  which  dominates  over  the  fol- 
lowers of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  has  risen  again  and  again,  after 
being  transfixed.  Still  cherished  by  the  many,  it  is 
denounced  by  the  few.  Amongst  other  accusers,  I  raise  my 
voice  against  the  Paganism  which  exists  so  extensively 
in  ecclesiastical  Christianity,  and  will  do  my  utmost  to 
expose  the  imposture. 

In  a  vampire  story,  told  in  Thalaba,  by  Southey,  the 
resuscitated  being  takes  the  form  of  a  dearly  beloved  maiden, 
and  the  hero  is  obliged  to  kill  her  with  his  own  hand.  He 
does  so ;  but,  whilst  he  strikes  the  form  of  the  loved  one,  he 
feels  sure  that  he  slays  only  a  demon.  In  like  manner, 
when  I  endeavour  to  destroy  the  current  Heathenism,  which 
has  assumed  the  garb  of  Christianity,  I  do  not  attack  real 
religion.  Few  would  accuse  a  workman  of  malignancy  who 
cleanses  from  filth  the  surface  of  a  noble  statue.  There 
may  be  some  who  are  too  nice  to  touch  a  nasty  subject; 
yet  even  they  will  rejoice  when  some  one  else  removes 
the  dirt.  Such  a  scavenger  is  much  wanted. 

If  I  were  to  assert,  as  a  general  proposition,  that  religion 
does  not  require  any  symbolism,  I  should  probably  win 
assent  from  every  true  Scotch  Presbyterian,  every  Wesleyan, 
and  every  Independent.  Yet  I  should  be  opposed  by  every 
Papist,  and  by  most  Anglican  Churchmen.  But  why  ?  Is 
it  not  because  their  ecclesiastics  have  adopted  symbolism  into 


their  churches  and  into  their  ritual  ?  They  have  broken  the 
second  commandment  of  Jehovah,  and  refuse  to  see  anything 
wrong  in  their  practice  or  gross  in  their  imagery.  But  they 
adopt  Jehovah  rather  than  Elohim,  and  break  the  command- 
ments, said  to  be  given  upon  Sinai,  in  good  company. 

The  reader  of  the  following  pages  will  probably  feel  more 
interest  therein  if  he  has  some  clue  whereby  he  may  guide 
himself  through  their  labyrinth. 

From  the  earliest  known  times  there  seems  to  have  been 
in  every  civilised  nation  the  idea  of  an  unseen  power.  In 
the  speculations  of  thoughtful  minds  a  necessity  is  recog- 
nised for  the  existence  of  a  Being  who  made  all  things — who 
is  at  times  beneficent,  sending  rain  and  warmth,  and  who  at 
others  sends  storm,  plague,  famine,  and  war.  After  the 
crude  idea  has  taken  possession  of  the  thoughts,  there  has 
been  a  desire  to  know  something  more  of  this  Creator,  and 
an  examination  into  the  works  of  Nature  has  been  made 
with  the  view  to  ascertain  the  will  and  designs  of  the 
Supreme.  In  every  country  this  great  ONE  has  been  sup- 
posed to  inhabit  the  heaven  above  us,  and  consequently  all 
celestial  phenomena  have  been  noticed  carefully.  But  the 
mind  soon  got  weary  of  contemplating  about  an  essence,  and, 
contenting  itself  with  the  belief  that  there  was  a  POWER, 
began  to  investigate  the  nature  of  His  ministers.  These, 
amongst  the  Aryans,  were  the  sun,  fire,  storm,  wind,  the 
sky,  the  day,  night,  etc.  An  intoxicating  drink,  too,  was 
regarded  as  an  emanation  from  the  Supreme.  With  this 
form  of  belief  men  lived  as  they  had  done  ere  it  existed,  and 
in  their  relations  with  each  other  may  be  compared  to  such 
high  class  animals  as  elephants.  Men  can  live  peaceably 
together  without  religion,  just  as  do  the  bisons,  buffaloes, 
antelopes,  and  even  wolves.  The  assumption  that  some 
form  of  faith  is  absolutely  a  necessity  for  man  is  only 
b 


founded  on  the  fancies  of  some  religious  fanatics  who  know 
little  of  the  world.* 

But  as  there  is  variety  in  the  workings  of  the  human 
mind,  so  there  were  differences  in  the  way  wherein  the 
religious  idea  was  carried  out.  Some  regarded  the  sun  and 

*  Whilst  these  sheets  were  passing  through  the  press,  there  appeared  a  work, 
published  anonymously,  hut  reported  to  be  by  one  of  the  most  esteemed  theologians 
who  ever  sat  upon  an  episcopal  bench.  It  is  entitled  Supernatural  Religion. 
London  :  Longmans,  1874.  From  it  we  quote  the  following,  vol.  ii.,  p.  489: — 

"  We  gain  infinitely  more  than  we  lose  in  abandoning  belief  in  the  reality  of 
Divine  Revelation.  Whilst  we  retain  pure  and  unimpaired  the  treasure  of  Christian 
Morality,  we  relinquish  nothing  but  the  debasing  elements  added  to  it  by  human 
superstition.  We  are  no  longer  bound  to  believe  a  theology  which  outrages  reason 
and  moral  sense.  We  are  freed  from  base  anthropomorphic  views  of  God  and  His 
government  of  the  universe ;  and  from  Jewish  Mythology  we  rise  to  higher  con- 
ceptions of  an  infinitely  wise  and  beneficent  Being,  hidden  from  our  finite  minds, 
it  is  true,  in  the  impenetrable  glory  of  Divinity,  but  whose  Laws  of  wondrous 
comprehensiveness  and  perfection  we  ever  perceive  in  operation  around  us.  We  are 
no  longer  disturbed  by  visions  of  fitful  interference  with  the  order  of  Nature,  but  we 
recognise  that  the  Being  who  regulates  the  universe  is  without  variableness  or 
shadow  of  turning.  It  is  singular  how  little  there  is  in  the  supposed  Revelation  of 
alleged  information,  however  incredible,  regarding  that  which  is  beyond  the  limits  of 
human  thought,  but  that  little  is  of  a  character  which  reason  declares  to  be  the 
wildest  delusion.  Let  no  man  whose  belief  in  the  reality  of  a  Divine  Revelation 
may  be  destroyed  by  such  an  inquiry  complain  that  he  has  lost  a  precious  posses- 
sion, and  that  nothing  is  left  but  a  blank.  The  Revelation  not  being  a  reality,  that 
which  he  has  lost  was  but  an  illusion,  and  that  which  is  left  is  the  Truth.  If  he  be 
content  with  illusions,  he  will  speedily  be  consoled ;  if  he  be  a  lover  only  of  truth, 
instead  of  a  blank,  he  will  recognise  that  the  reality  before  him  is  full  of  great 


"  If  we  know  less  than  we  have  supposed  of  man's  destiny,  we  may  at  least 
rejoice  that  we  are  no  longer  compelled  to  believe  that  which  is  unworthy.  The 
limits  of  thought  once  attained,  we  may  well  be  unmoved  in  the  assurance  that 
all  that  we  do  know  of  the  regulation  of  the  universe  being  so  perfect  and  wise,  all 
that  we  do  not  know  must  be  equally  so.  Here  enters  the  true  and  noble  Faith — 
which  is  the  child  of  reason.  If  we  have  believed  a  system,  the  details  of  which 
must  at  one  time  or  another  have  shocked  the  mind  of  every  intelligent  man,  and 
believed  it  simply  because  it  was  supposed  to  be  revealed,  we  may  equally  believe  in 
the  wisdom  and  goodness  of  what  is  not  revealed.  The  mere  act  of  communication 
to  us  is  nothing:  Faith  in  the  perfect  ordering  of  all  things  is  independent  of 
Revelation. 

"  The  argument  so  often  employed  by  Theologians  that  Divine  Revelation  is 
necessary  for  man,  and  that  certain  views  contained  in  that  Revelation  are  required 
by  our  moral  consciousness,  is  purely  imaginary,  and  derived  from  the  Revelation 
which  it  seeks  to  maintain.  The  only  thing  absolutely  necessary  for  man  is  Truth 
and  to  that,  and  that  alone,  must  our  moral  consciousness  adapt  itself." 


xix 

moon,  the  constellations  and  the  planets,  as  ministers  of  the 
unseen  ONE,  and,  reasoning  from  what  was  known  to  what 
was  unknown,  argued  thus :  "  Throughout  nature  there 
seems  to  be  a  dualism.  In  the  sky  there  are  a  sun  and  moon ; 
there  are  also  sun  and  earth,  earth  and  sea.  In  every  set  of 
animals  there  are  males  and  females."  An  inquiry  into  the 
influence  of  the  sun  brought  out  the  facts  that  by  themselves 
its  beams  were  destructive ;  they  were  only  beneficent  when 
the  earth  was  moist  with  rain.  As  the  rain  from  heaven, 
then,  caused  things  on  earth  to  grow,  it  was  natural  that  the 
main  source  of  light  and  heat  should  be  regarded  as  a  male, 
and  the  earth  as  a  female.  As  a  male,  the  sun  was  supposed 
to  have  the  emblems  of  virility,  and  a  spouse  whom  he 
impregnated,  and  who  thereby  became  fertile. 

In  examining  ancient  Jewish,  Phoenician,  and  other 
Shemitic  cognomens,  I  found  that  they  consisted  of  a  divine 
name  and  some  attribute  of  the  deity,  and  that  the  last  was 
generally  referrible  equally  to  THE  SUPREME,  to  the  Sun,  as 
a  god,  and  to  the  masculine  emblem.  If  the  deity  was  a 
female,  the  name  of  her  votary  contained  a  reference  to  the 
moon  and  the  beauties  or  functions  of  women.  The  higher 
ideas  of  the  Creator  were  held  only  by  a  few,  the  many 
adopted  a  lower  and  more  debased  view.  In  this  manner 
the  sun  became  a  chief  god  and  the  moon  his  partner,  and 
the  former  being  supposed  to  be  male  and  the  latter  female, 
both  became  associated  with  the  ideas  which  all  have  of 
terrestrial  animals.  Consequently  the  solar  deity  was  asso- 
ciated in  symbolism  with  masculine  and  the  moon  with 
feminine  emblems. 

An  inquiry  into  antiquity,  as  represented  by  Babylonians, 
Assyrians,  Egyptians,  Phoenicians,  Hebrews,  Greeks,  Etrus- 
cans, Romans,  and  others,  and  into  modern  faiths  still  cur- 
rent, as  represented  in  the  peninsula  of  India,  in  the 
Lebanon,  and  elsewhere,  shows  that  ideas  of  sex  have  been 


very  generally  associated  with  that  of  creation.  God  has 
been  described  as  a  king,  or  as  a  queen,  or  as  both  united. 
As  monarch,  he  is  supposed  to  be  man,  or  woman,  or  both. 
As  man  differs  from  woman  in  certain  peculiarities,  these 
very  means  of  distinction  have  been  incorporated  into  the 
worship  of  god  and  goddess.  Rival  sects  have  been  ranged 
in  ancient  times  under  the  symbol  of  the  "]"  and  the  O>  as 
in  later  times  they  are  under  the  cross  and  the  crescent. 
The  worship  of  God  the  Father  has  repeatedly  clashed  with 
that  of  God  the  Mother,  and  the  votaries  of  each  respectively 
have  worn  badges  characteristic  of  the  sex  of  their  deity. 
An  illustration  of  this  is  to  be  seen  amongst  ourselves  ;  one 
sect  of  Christians  adoring  chiefly  the  Trinity,  another  reve- 
rencing the  Virgin.  There  is  a  well-known  picture,  indeed, 
of  Mary  worshipping  her  infant ;  and  to  the  former  is  given 
the  title  Mater  Creatoris,  "  the  mother  of  the  Creator."  Our 
sexual  sections  are  as  well  marked  as  those  in  ancient  Jeru- 
salem, which  swore  by  Jehovah  and  Ashtoreth  respectively. 
The  idea  of  sexuality  in  religion  is  quite  compatible  with 
a  ritual  and  practice  of  an  elaborate  character,  and  a  depth  of 
piety  which  prefers  starvation  to  impurity,  or,  as  the  Bible 
has  it,  to  uncleanness.  To  eat  "with  the  blood"  was 
amongst  the  Hebrews  a  crime  worthy  of  death ;  to  eat  with 
unwashed  hands  was  a  dreadful  offence  in  the  eyes  of  the 
Pharisees  of  Jerusalem  ;  and  in  the  recent  famine  in  Bengal, 
we  have  seen  that  individuals  would  rather  die  of  absolute 
hunger,  and  allow  their  children  to  perish  too,  than  eat 
bread  or  rice  which  may  have  been  touched  by  profane 
hands,  or  drink  milk  that  had  been  expressed  by  British 
milkmaids  from  cows'  udders.  Yet  these  same  Hindoos,  the 
very  particular  sect  of  the  Brahmins,  have  amongst  them- 
selves a  form  of  worship  which  to  our  ideas  is  incompatible 
with  real  religion.  The  folks  referred  to  adore  the  Creator, 
and  respect  their  ceremonial  law  even  more  deeply,  than  did 


the  Hebrews  after  the  time  of  the  Babylonish  captivity ;  but 
they  have  a  secret  cult  in  which — and  in  the  most  matter-of- 
fact  way — they  pay  a  very  practical  homage  to  one  or 
other  of  the  parts  which  is  thought  by  the  worshipper  to  be 
a  mundane  emblem  of  the  Creator. 

The  curious  will  find  in  Essays  on  the  Religion  of  the 
Hindus,  by  H.  H.  Wilson,  in  the  Dabistan,  translated  by 
Shea  and  Troyer  (Allen  and  Co.,  London),  3  vols.,  8vo.,  and 
in  Memoirs  of  the  Anthropological  Society  of  London 
(Triibner  and  Co.),  vols.  1  and  2,  much  information  on  the 
method  of  conducting  the  worship  referred  to.  The  first 
named  author  thinks  it  advisable  to  leave  the  Brahminic 
"rubric"  for  the  "Sakti  Sodhana,"  for  the  most  part  under 
the  veil  of  the  original  Sanscrit,  and  I  am  not  disposed  wholly 
to  withdraw  it. 

But  Christians  are  not  pure ;  some  of  my  readers  may 
have  seen  a  work  written  by  an  Italian  lady  of  high  birth, 
who  was  in  early  life  forced  into  a  nunnery,  and  who  left  it 
as  soon  as  she  had  a  chance.  In  her  account  she  tells 
us  how  the  women  in  the  monastery  were  seduced  by  reve- 
rend Fathers,  who  were  at  one  time  the  instruments  of  vice, 
at  another  the  guides  to  penitence.  Their  practice  was 
to  instruct  their  victims  that  whatever  was  said  or  done  must 
be  accompanied  by  a  pious  sentence.  Thus,  "I  love  you 
dearly"  was  a  profane  expression;  but  "I  desire  your 
company  in  the  name  of  Jesus,"  and  "  I  embrace  in  you  the 
Holy  Virgin,"  were  orthodox.  In  like  manner,  the  Hindus 
have  prayers  prescribed  for  their  use,  when  the  parts  are  to 
be  purified  prior  to  proceeding  to  extremities,  when  they  are 
introduced  to  each  other,  in  the  agitation  which  follows,  and 
when  the  ceremony  is  completed.  Everything  is  done,  as 
Ritualists  would  say,  decently  and  in  order ;  and  a  pious 
orgie,  sanctified  by  prayers,  cannot  be  worse  than  the 
penance  ordained  by  some  "confessors"  to  those  faithful 


damsels  whose  minds  are  plastic  enough  to  believe  that 
a  priest  is  an  embodiment  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  they 
become  assimilated  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  when  they  are  over- 
shadowed by  the  power  of  the  Highest  (Luke  i.  35). 

There  being,  then,  in  "religion"  a  strong  sensual 
element,  ingenuity  has  been  exercised  to  a  wonderful  extent 
in  the  contrivance  of  designs,  nearly  or  remotely  significant 
of  this  idea,  or  rather  union  of  the  conceptions  to  which  we 
have  referred.  Jupiter  is  a  Proteus  in  form ;  now  a  man, 
now  a  bull,  now  a  swan,  now  an  androgyne.  Juno,  or  her 
equivalent,  is  sometimes  a  woman,  occasionally  a  lioness,  and 
at  times  a  cow.  All  conceivable  attributes  of  man  and 
woman  were  symbolised ;  and  gods  were  called  by  the  names 
of  power,  love,  anger,  desire,  revenge,  fortune,  etc.  Every- 
thing in  creation  that  resembled  in  any  way  the  presumed 
Creator,  whether  in  name,  in  character,  or  in  shape,  was 
supposed  to  represent  the  deity.  Hence  a  palm  tree  was  a 
religious  emblem,  because  it  is  long,  erect,  and  round ;  an 
oak,  for  it  is  hard  and  firm ;  a  fig-tree,  because  its  leaves 
resemble  the  male  triad.  The  ivy  was  sacred  from  a  similar 
cause.  A  myrtle  was  also  a  type,  but  of  the  female,  because 
its  leaf  is  a  close  representation  of  the  vesica  piscis. 
Everything,  indeed,  which  in  any  way  resembles  the  charac- 
teristic organs  of  man  and  woman,  became  symbolic  of  the 
one  or  the  other  deity,  Jupiter  or  Juno,  Jehovah  or 
Astarte,  the  Father  or  the  Virgin.  Sometimes,  but  very 
rarely,  the  parts  in  question  were  depicted  au  naturel,  and 
the  means  by  which  creation  is  effected  became  the  mundane 
emblem  of  the  Almighty ;  and  two  huge  phalli  were  seen 
before  a  temple,  as  we  now  see  towers  or  spires  before  our 
churches,  and  minarets  before  mosques.  (Lucian,  Dea 
Syria.) 

Generally,  however,  it  was  considered  the  most  correct  plan 
to  represent  the  organs  by  some  conventional  form,  understood 


by  the  initiated,  but  not  by  the  unlearned.     Whatever  was 
upright,  and  longer   than  broad,  became  symbolic   of  the 
father;  whilst  that  which  was  hollow,  cavernous,  oval,  or 
circular,  symbolised  the  mother.      A  sword,  spear,  arrow,     / 
dart,  battering  ram,   spade,  ship's  prow,  anything  indeed 
intended  to  pierce  into  something  else  was  emblematic  of  the    ; 
male ;  whilst  the  female  was  symbolised  as  a  door,  a  hole,  a 
sheath,  a  target,  a  shield,  a  field,  anything  indeed  which  was   [ 
to  be  entered.      The  Hebrew  names  sufficiently  indicate  the 
plan   upon   which   the   sexes  were   distinguished ;  the   one 
is  a  "13T  zachar,  a  perforator  or  digger,  and  the  other  !"I^P3 
nekebah,  a  hole  or  trench,  i.  e.  male  and  female. 

These  symbols  were  not  necessarily  those  of  religious 
belief.  They  might  indicate  war,  heroism,  prowess,  royalty, 
command,  etc.,  or  be  nothing  more  than  they  really  were. 
They  only  symbolised  the  Creator  when  they  were  adopted 
into  religion.  Again,  there  was  a  still  farther  refinement ; 
and  advantage  was  taken  of  the  fact,  that  one  symbol  was 
tripliform,  the  other  single  ;  one  of  one  shape,  and  the  other 
different.  Consequently,  a  triangle,  or  three  things,  arranged 
so  that  one  should  stand  above  the  two,  became  emblematic 
of  the  Father,  whilst  an  unit  symbolised  the  Mother. 

These  last  three  sentences  deserve  close  attention,  for 
some  individuals  have,  in  somewhat  of  a  senseless  fashion, 
objected,  that  a  person  who  can  see  in  a  tortoise  an  emblem 
of  the  male,  and  in  a  horse-shoe  an  effigy  of  the  female 
organ,  must  be  quite  too  fantastical  to  deserve  notice.  But 
to  me,  as  to  other  inquirers,  these  things  are  simply  what 
they  appear  to  be  when  they  are  seen  in  common  life.  Yet 
when  the  former  creature  occupies  a  large  space  in  mytho- 
logy ;  when  the  Hindoo  places  it  as  the  being  upon  which  the 
world  stands,  and  the  Greeks  represent  one  Venus  as  resting 
upon  a  tortoise  and  another  on  a  goat;  and  when  one  knows 
that  in  days  gone  by,  in  which  people  were  less  refined,  the 


was  displayed  where  the  horse-shoe  is  now,  and  that 
some  curiously  mysterious  attributes  were  assigned  to  the 
part  in  question ;  we  cannot  refuse  to  see  the  thing  signified 
in  the  sign. 

Again,  inasmuch  as  what  we  may  call  the  most  prominent 
part  of  the  tripliform  organ  was  naturally  changeable  in 
character,  being  at  one  time  soft,  small,  and  pendent,  and  at 
another  hard,  large,  and  upright,  those  animals  that  resem- 
bled it  in  these  respects  became  symbolical.  Two  serpents, 
therefore,  one  Indian,  and  the  other  Egyptian,  both  of  which 
are  able  to  distend  their  heads  and  necks,  and  to  raise  them 
up  erect,  were  emblematic,  and  each  in  its  respective  country 
typified  the  father,  the  great  Creator.  In  like  manner, 
another  portion  of  the  triad  was  regarded  as  similar  in  shape 
and  size  to  the  common  hen's  egg.  As  the  celebrated  physi- 
ologist, Haller,  remarked,  "  Omne  vivum  ex  ovo,"  every 
living  thing  comes  from  an  egg ;  so  more  ancient  biologists 
recognised  that  the  dual  part  of  the  tripliform  organ  was  as 
essential  to  the  creation  of  a  new  being  as  the  central  pillar. 
Hence  an  egg  and  a  serpent  became  a  characteristic  of  "  the 
Father,"  El,  Ab,  Ach,  Baal,  Asher,  Melech,  Adonai,  Jahu, 
etc.  When  to  this  was  added  a  half  moon,  as  in  certain 
Tyrian  coins,  the  trinity  and  unity  were  symbolised,  and 
a  faith  expressed  like  the  one  held  in  modern  Rome,  that  the 
mother  of  creation  is  co-equal  with  the  father;  the  one 
seduces  by  her  charms,  and  the  other  makes  them  fructify. 

To  the  Englishman,  who,  as  a  rule,  avoids  talking  upon 
the  subject  which  forms  the  basis  of  many  an  ancient 
religion,  it  may  seem  incredible  that  any  individual,  or  set  of 
writers,  could  have  exercised  their  ingenuity  in  finding 
circumlocutory  euphemisms  for  things  which,  though 
natural,  are  rarely  named.  Yet  the  wonder  ceases  when  we 
find,  in  the  writings  of  our  lively  neighbours,  the  French,  a 
host  of  words  intended  to  describe  the  parts  referred  to, 


which  correspond  wholly  with  the  pictorial  emblems  adopted 
by  the  Greeks  and  others. 

As  English  writers  have,  as  a  rule,  systematically  avoided 
making  any  distinct  reference  to  the  sexual  ideas  embodied 
in  ancient  Paganism,  so  they  have,  by  their  silence,  encou- 
raged the  formation  of  a  school  of  theology  which  has  no 
solid  foundation,  except  a  very  animal  one.  As  each  indi- 
vidual finds  out  this  for  himself,  it  becomes  a  question  with 
him  how  far  the  information  shall  be  imparted  to  others.  So 
rarely  has  the  determination  to  accuse  the  vampire  been 
taken,  that  we  can  point  to  very  few  English  books  to  which 
to  refer  our  readers.  We  do  not  know  one  such  that  is 
easily  accessible ;  It.  Payne  Knight's  work,  and  the  addition 
thereto,  having  been  privately  printed,  is  not  often  to  be 
found  in  the  market.  To  give  a  list  of  the  foreign  works 
which  the  author  has  consulted,  prior  to  and  during  the 
composition  of  his  book  on  Ancient  Faiths,  would  be  almost 
equivalent  to  giving  a  catalogue  of  part  of  his  library.  He 
may,  however,  indicate  the  name  of  one  work  which  is 
unusually  valuable  for  reference,  viz.,  Histoire  abregee  des 
Di/erens  Cultes,  par  J.  A.  Dulaure,  2  vols.,  small  8vo., 
Paris,  1825.  Though  out  of  print,  copies  can  generally  be 
procured  through  second-hand  booksellers.  Another  work, 
Eecherches  sur  les  Mysteres  de  Paganisme,  by  St.  Croix,  is 
equally  valuable,  but  it  is  very  difficult  to  procure  a  copy. 

The  ancient  Jews  formed  no  exception  to  the  general  law 
of  reverence  for  the  male  emblem  of  the  Creator;  and 
though  we  would,  from  their  pretensions  to  be  the  chosen 
people  of  God,  gladly  find  them  exempt  from  what  we 
consider  to  be  impurities,  we  are  constrained  to  believe  that, 
even  in  the  worship  of  Jehovah,  more  respect  was  given  to 
the  symbol  than  we,  living  in  modern  times,  think  that  it 
deserves.  In  their  Scriptures  we  read  of  Noah,  whose  infirm 
temper  seems  to  have  been  on  a  par  with  his  weakness  for 


wine,  cursing  one  of  his  three  sons  because,  whilst  drunk,  he 
had  negligently  exposed  his  person,  and  the  young  man  had 
thought  the  sight  an  amusing  one.  Ham  had  no  reverence 
for  the  symbol  of  the  Creator,  but  Shem  and  Japhet  had, 
and  covered  it  with  a  veil  as  respectfully  as  if  it  had  been  the 
ineffable  framer  of  the  world  (Gen.  ix.  21-27).  As  our  feel- 
ings of  propriety  induce  us  to  think  that  the  father  was  a 
far  greater  sinner  than  the  son,  we  rejoice  to  know  that  the 
causeless  curse  never  fell,  and  that  Ham,  in  the  lands  of 
Canaan,  Assyria,  and  Babylonia,  and  subsequently  in  Car- 
thaginian Spain,  were  the  masters  of  those  Hebrews,  whose 
V/.t'3  main  force,  in  old  times,  lay  in  impotent  scoldings,  such  as 
Shakespeare  puts  into  the  mouth  of  Caliban. 

One  of  the  best  proofs  of  the  strong  sexual  element 
which  existed  in  the  religion  of  the  Jews  is  the  fact  that 
Elohim,  one  of  the  names  of  the  Creator  amongst  the 
Hebrews,  is  represented,  Gen.  xvii.  10-14,  as  making  cir- 
cumcision a  sign  of  his  covenant  with  the  seed  of  Abraham ; 
and  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  a  man  was  to  be  regarded 
as  being  in  the  covenant,  God  is  supposed  to  have  looked  at 
the  state  of  the  virile  organ,  or — as  the  Scripture  has  it — of 
the  hill  of  the  foreskin.  We  find,  indeed,  that  Jehovah  was 
quite  as  particular,  and  examined  a  male  quite  as  closely  as 
Elohim  :  for  when  Moses  and  Zipporah  were  on  their  way 
from  Midian  to  Egypt,  Exod.  iv.  24,  Jehovah  having  looked 
at  the  "trinity"  of  Moses'  son,  and  having  found  it  as  per- 
fect as  when  the  lad  was  born,  sought  to  slay  him,  and  would 
have  done  so  unless  the  mother  had  mutilated  the  organ 
according  to  the  sacred  pattern.  Again,  we  find  in  Josh.  v.  2, 
and  in  the  following  verses,  that  Jehovah  insisted  upon  all 
the  Hebrew  males  having  their  virile  member  in  the  covenant 
condition  ere  they  went  to  attack  the  Canaanites.  We  cannot 
suppose  that  any  scribe  could  dwell  so  much  as  almost  every 
scriptural  writer  does  upon  the  subject  of  circumcision,  had 


not  the  masculine  emblem  been  held  in  religious  veneration 
amongst  the  Jewish  nation. 

But  the  David  who  leaped  and  danced,  obscenely  as  we 
should  say,  before  the  ark —  an  emblem  of  the  female 
creator — who  purchased  his  wife  from  her  royal  father  by 
mutilating  a  hundred  Philistines,  and  presenting  the  foreskins 
which  he  had  cut  off  therefrom  "  in  full  tale  "  to  the  king 
(1  Sam.  xviii.  27,  2  Sam.  iii.  14),  who  was  once  the  captain 
of  a  monarch  who  thought  it  a  shame  beyond  endurance  to 
be  abused,  tortured,  or  slain  by  men  whose  persons  were  in 
a  natural  condition  (1  Sam.  xxxi.  4),  and  who  imagined 
that  he,  although  a  stripling,  could  conquer  a  giant,  because 
the  one  had  a  sanctified  and  the  other  a  natural  member — is 
the  man  whom  we  know  as  the  author  of  Psalms  with  which 
Christians  still  refresh  their  minds  and  comfort  their  souls. 
The  king  who,  even  in  his  old  age,  was  supposed  to  think  so 
much  of  women  that  his  courtiers  sought  a  lovely  damsel  as 
a  comfort  for  his  dying  bed,  is  believed  to  have  been  the 
author  of  the  noble  nineteenth  Psalm,  and  a  number  of 
others  full  of  holy  aspirations.  It  is  clear,  then,  that  sexual 
ideas  on  religion  are  not  incompatible  with  a  desire  to  be 
holy.  The  two  were  co-existent  in  Palestine ;  they  are 
equally  so  in  Bengal. 

We  next  find  that  Abraham,  the  cherished  man  of  God, 
the  honoured  patriarch  of  the  Jews,  makes  his  servant  lay 
his  hand  upon  the  master's  member,  whilst  he  takes  an 
oath  to  do  his  bidding,  precisely  like  a  more  modern 
Palestinian  might  do  ;  and  Jacob  does  the  same  with  Joseph. 
See  Gen.  xxiv.  3,  and  xlvii.  29. 

As  it  is  not  generally  known  that  the  expression,  "  under 
my  thigh,"  is  a  euphemism  for  the  words,  "  upon  the  symbol 
of  the  Creator,"  I  may  point  to  two  or  three  other  passages 
in  which  the  thigh  (translated  in  the  authorised  version 
loins)  is  used  periphrastically :  Genesis  .xxxv.  2,  xlvi.  26; 


Exod.  i.  5.  See  Ginsburg,  in  Kitto's  Biblical  Cyclopaedia, 
vol.  3,  p.  348,  s.  v.  OATH. 

I  have  on  two  occasions  read,  although  I  failed  to  make 
a  note  of  it,  that  an  Arab,  during  the  Franco-Egyptian  war, 
when  accused  by  General  Kleber  of  treachery,  not  only 
vehemently  denied  it,  but  when  he  saw  himself  still  dis- 
trusted, he  uncovered  himself  before  the  whole  military  staff, 
and  swore  upon  his  trinity  that  he  was  guiltless.  In  the 
Lebanon,  once  in  each  year,  every  female  considers  it  her 
duty  to  salute  with  her  lips  the  reverenced  organ  of  the  Old 
Sheik. 

Again  we  learn,  from  Deut.  xxiii.  1,  that  any  unsanctified 
mutilation  of  this  part  positively  entailed  expulsion  from  the 
congregation  of  the  Lord.  Even  a  priest  of  the  house  of 
Aaron  could  not  minister,  as  such,  if  his  masculinity  had 
been  in  any  way  impaired  (Lev.  xxi.  20) ;  and  report  says 
that,  in  our  Christian  times,  Popes  have  to  be  privately 
perfect ;  see  also  Deut.  xxv.  11,  12.  Moreover,  the  inquirer 
finds  that  the  Jewish  Scriptures  teem  with  promises  of 
abundant  offspring  to  those  who  were  the  favourites  of 
Jehovah  ;  and  Solomon,  the  most  glorious  of  their  monarchs, 
is  described  as  if  he  were  a  Hercules  amongst  the  daughters 
of  Thespius.  Nothing  can  indicate  the  licentiousness  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  more  clearly  than  the  writings  of 
Ezekiel.2  If,  then,  in  Hebrew  law  and  practice,  we  find 
such  a  strong  infusion  of  the  sexual  element,  we  cannot  be 
surprised  if  it  should  be  found  elsewhere,  and  gradually 
influence  Christianity. 

We  must  next  notice  the  fact,  that  what  we  call  impurity 
in  religious  tenets  does  not  necessarily  involve  indecency  in 
practice.  The  ancient  Romans,  in  the  time  of  the  early 
kings,  seem  to  have  been  as  proper  as  early  Christian 
maidens.  It  is  true  that,  in  the  declining  days  of  the  empire 

2  See  Ezekiel  xxii.  1-30,  and  compare  Jerem.  v.  7,  8. 


city,  exhibitions  that  called  forth  the  fierce  denunciations 
of  the  fathers  of  the  Church  took  place  ;  but  we  find  very 
similar  occurrences  in  modern  Christian  capitals.  In  Spartan 
days,  chastity  and  honesty  were  not  virtues,  but  drunkenness 
was  a  vice.  In  Christian  England,  drunkenness  is  general, 
and  we  cannot  pride  ourselves  upon  universal  honesty  and 
chastity.  It  is  not  the  national  belief,  but  the  national 
practice,  which  evidences  a  people's  worth.  Spain  and  Ire- 
land, called  respectively  "  Catholic "  and  "  the  land  of 
saints,"  cannot  boast  of  equality  with  "  infidel "  France  and 
"free-thinking"  Prussia.  England  will  be  as  earnest,  as 
upright,  and  as  civilised,  when  she  has  abandoned  the 
heathen  elements  in  her  religion,  as  when  she  hugs  them  as 
if  necessary  to  her  spiritual  welfare.  Attachment  to  the 
good  parts  of  religion  is  wholly  distinct  from  a  close  embrace 
of  the  bad  ones  ;  and  we  believe  he  deserves  best  of  his 
country  who  endeavours  to  remove  every  possible  source  of 
discord.  None  can  doubt  the  value  of  the  order,  "Do  to 
others  as  you  would  wish  others  to  do  to  you."  If  all  unite 
to  carry  this  out,  small  differences  of  opinion  may  at  once 
be  sunk.  How  worthless  are  many  of  the  dogmas  that 
people  now  fight  about,  the  following  pages  will  show. 


In  our  larger  work  we  have  endeavoured  to  show  that 
there  may  be  a  deep  sense  of  religion,  a  feeling  of  personal 
responsibility,  so  keen  as  to  influence  every  act  of  life,  with- 
out there  being  a  single  symbol  used.  The  earnest  Sakya 
Muni,  or  Buddha,  never  used  anything  as  a  sacred  emblem ; 
nor  did  Jesus,  who  followed  him,  and  perhaps  unconsciously 
propagated  the  Indian's  doctrine.  When  the  Apostles  were 
sent  out  to  teach  and  preach,  they  were  not  told  to  carry  out 
any  form  of  ark  or  crucifix.  To  them  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity  was  unknown,  and  not  one  of  them  had  any  parti- 


cular  reverence  .for  her  whom  we  call  the  Virgin  Mary,  who, 
if  she  was  '  virgo  intacta '  when  Jesus  was  born,  was  cer- 
tainly different  when  she  bore  his  brothers.  Paul  and  Peter, 
though  said  to  be  the  fathers  of  the  Koman  Church,  never 
used  or  recommended  the  faithful  to  procure  for  themselves 
"  a  cross "  as  an  aid  to  memory.  The  early  Christians 
recognised  each  other  by  their  deeds,  and  never  had,  like 
the  Jews,  to  prove  that  they  were  in  covenant  with  God,  by 
putting  a  mutilated  part  of  their  body  into  full  view.  We, 
with  the  Society  of  Friends,  prefer  primitive  to  modern 
Christianity. 

In  the  following  pages  the  author  has  felt  himself  obliged 
to  make  use  of  words  which  are  probably  only  known  to 
those  who  are  more  or  less  "  scholars."  He  has  to  treat  of 
parts  of  the  human  body,  and  acts  which  occur  habitually  in 
the  world,  which  in  modern  times  are  never  referred  to  in 
polite  society,  but  which,  in  the  period  when  the  Old  Testa- 
ment was  written,  were  spoken  of  as  freely  as  we  now  talk  of 
our  hands  and  feet.  In  those  days,  everything  which  was 
common  was  spoken  of  without  shame,  and  that  which 
occurred  throughout  creation,  and  was  seen  by  every  one, 
was  as  much  the  subject  of  conversation  as  eating  and 
drinking  is  now.  The  Hebrew  writers  were  extremely  coarse 
in  their  diction,  and  although  this  has  been  softened  down 
by  subsequent  redactors,  much  which  is  in  our  modern 
judgment  improper  still  remains.  For  example,  where  we 
simply  indicate  the  sex,  the  Jewish  historians  used  the  word 
which  was  given  to  the  symbol  by  which  male  and  female 
are  known ;  for  example,  in  Gen.  i.  27,  and  v.  2,  and  in  a 
host  of  other  places,  the  masculine  and  feminine  are  spoken 
of  as  zachar  and  nekebah,  which  is  best  translated  as 
'  borers  "  and  "  bored."  Another  equally  vulgar  way  of 
describing  men  is  to  be  found  in  1  Kings  xiv.  10.  But 


these  observations  would  not  serve  us  much  in  symbolism 
did  we  not  know  that  they  were  associated  with  certain 
euphemisms  by  which  when  one  thing  is  said  another  is 
intended ;  for  an  illustration  let  us  take  Isaiah  vii.  20,  and 
ask  what  is  meant  by  the  phrase,  "  the  hair  of  the  feet "  ? 
It  is  certain  that  the  feet  are  never  hairy,  and  consequently 
can  never  be  shaved.  Again,  when  we  find  in  Gen.  xlix.  10, 
"the  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah,  nor  a  lawgiver 
from  between  his  feet,"  and  compare  this  with  Deut.  xxviii. 
57,  and  2  Kings  xviii.  27,  where  the  words  are,  in  the 
original,  "the  water  of  their  feet,"  it  is  clear  that  symbolic 
language  is  used  to  express  something  which,  if  put  into  the 
vernacular,  would  be  objectionable  to  ears  polite.  Again,  in 
Genesis  xxiv.  2  and  xlvii.  29,  and  in  Heb.  xi.  21,  it  is  well 
known  to  scholars  that  the  word  "  thigh  "  and  "  staff"  are 
euphemisms  to  express  'that  part  which  represents  the  male. 
In  Deut.  xxiii.  1,  we  have  evidence,  as  in  the  last  three  verses 
quoted,  of  the  sanctity  of  the  part  referred  to,  but  the  lan- 
guage is  less  refined.  Now-a-days  our  ears  are  not  attuned  to 
the  rough  music  which  pleased  our  ancestors,  and  we  have  to 
use  veiled  language  to  express  certain  matters.  In  the 
following  pages,  the  words  which  I  select  are  drawn  from  the 
Latin,  Greek,  Sanscrit,  Shemitic,  or  Egyptian.  Hea,  Anu, 
and  Asher  replace  the  parts  referred  to  in  Deut.  xxiii.  1 ; 
Osiris,  Asher,  Linga,  Mahadeva,  Siva,  Priapus,  Phallus,  etc., 
represent  the  Hebrew  zachar ;  whilst  Isis,  Parvati,  Yoni, 
Sacti,  Astarte,  Ishtar,  etc.,  replace  the  Jewish  nekebah.  The 
junction  of  these  parts  is  spoken  of  as  Ashtoreth,  Baalim,. 
Elohim,  the  trinity  and  unity,  the  androgyne  deity,  the  arba, 
or  mystic  four,  and  the  like. 

I  will  only  add,  that  what  I  refer  to  has  long  been  known 
to  almost  every  scholar  except  English  ones.  Of  these  a  few 
are  learned ;  but  for  a  long  period  they  have  systematically 
refrained  from  speaking  plainly,  and  have  written  in  such  a 


xxxii 

manner  as  to  be  guilty  not  only  of  suppressio  veri  but  of 
suggestio  falsi. 

After  reading  thus  far,  I  can  imagine  many  a  person 
saying  with  astonishment,  ''Are  these  things  so?"  and 
following  up  his  thoughts  by  wondering  what  style  of  per- 
sons they  were,  or  are,  who  could  introduce  into  religion  such 
matters  as  those  of  which  we  have  treated. 

In  reply,  I  can  only  say  that  I  have  nothing  extenuated, 
and  set  down  nought  in  malice.  But  the  first  clause  of  the 
assertion  requires  modification,  for  in  this  volume  there  are 
many  things  omitted  which  I  have  referred  to  at  length  in 
my  larger  work.  In  that  I  have  shown,  not  only  that 
religious  fornication  existed  in  ancient  Babylon,  but  that 
there  is  reason  to  believe  that  it  existed  also  in  Palestine. 
The  word  ^1P>  Kadesh,  which  signifies  "pure,  bright, 
young,  to  be  holy,  or  to  be  consecrated,"  is  also  the  root  from 
which  are  formed  the  words  Kadeshah  and  Kadeshim,  which 
are  used  in  the  Hebrew  writings,  and  are  translated  in  our 
authorised  version  "whore"  and  "sodomite."  See  Deut. 
xxiii.  17. 

Athanasius  tells  us  something  of  this  as  regards  the 
Phoenicians,  for  he  says,  (Oratio  Contr.  Gent.,  part  i.,  p.  24.) 
"Formerly,  it  is  certain  that  Phoenician  women  prostituted 
themselves  before  their  idols,  offering  their  bodies  to  their 
gods  in  the  place  of  first  fruits,  being  persuaded  that  they 
pleased  the  goddess  by  that  means,  and  made  her  propitious 
to  them." 

Strabo  mentions  a  similar  occurrence  at  Comana,  in 
Pontus,  book  xiii.,  c.  iii.  p.  36 — and  notices  that  an  enor- 
mous number  of  women  were  consecrated  to  the  use  of 
worshippers  in  the  temple  of  Venus  at  Corinth. 

Such  women  exist  in  India,  and  the  priests  of  certain 
temples  do  everything  in  their  power  to  select  the  loveliest 
of  the  sex,  and  to  educate  them  so  highly  as  to  be  attractive. 


The  customs  which  existed  in  other  places  seem  to  have 
been  known  in  Jerusalem,  as  we  find  in  1  Kings  xiv.  24., 
xv.  12,  that  Kadeshim  were  common  in  Judea,  and  in 
2  Kings  xxiii.  7,  we  discover  that  these  "consecrated  ones" 
were  located  "by  the  temple,"  and  were  associated  with 
women  whose  business  was  "  to  make  hangings  for  the 
grove."  What  these  tissues  were  and  what  use  was  made 
of  them  will  be  seen  in  Ezekiel  xvi.  1 6. 

Even  David,  when  dancing  before  the  ark,  shamelessly 
exposed  himself.  Solomon  erected  two  pillars  in  the  porch 
of  his  temple,  and  called  them  Jachin  and  Boaz,  and 
added  pomegranate  ornaments.  We  have  seen  how  Abra- 
ham and  Jacob  ordered  their  inferiors  to  swear  by  putting 
the  hand  upon  "  the  thigh "  ;  and  we  have  read  of  the 
atrocities  which  occurred  in  Jerusalem  in  the  time  of 
Ezekiel.  Yet  the  Jews  are  still  spoken  of  as  God's  chosen 
people,  and  the  Psalmist  as  a  man  after  God's  own  heart. 

But  without  going  so  far  back,  let  us  inquire  into  the 
conduct  of  the  sensual  Turks,  and  of  the  general  run  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Hindostan.  From  everything  that  I  can 
learn — and  I  have  repeatedly  conversed  with  those  who  have 
known  the  Turks  and  Hindoos  familiarly  —  these  are  in  every 
position  in  life  as  morally  good  as  common  Christians  are. 

My  readers  must  not  now  assert  that  I  am  either  a 
partisan  or  a  special  pleader  when  I  say  this ;  they  must 
consider  that  I  am  making  the  comparison  as  man  by  man. 
I  do  not,  as  missionaries  do,  compare  the  most  vicious 
Mahomedan  and  Brahmin  with  the  most  exemplary  Christian ; 
nor  do  I,  on  the  other  hand,  compare  the  best  Ottoman  and 
Indian  with  Christian  criminals ;  but  I  take  the  whole  in  a 
mass,  and  assert  that  there  is  as  large  a  per  centage  of  good 
folks  in  India  and  Turkey  as  there  is  in  Spain  and  France, 
England  or  America. 

The  grossest  form  of  worship  is  compatible  with  general 


purity  of  morals.  The  story  of  Lucretia  is  told  of  a  Pagan 
woman,  whilst  those  of  Er  and  Onan,  Tamar  and  Judah  relate 
to  Hebrews.  David,  who  seduced  Bathsheba,  and  killed  her 
husband,  was  not  execrated  by  "  God's  people,"  nor  was  he 
consequently  driven  from  his  throne  as  Tarquin  was  by  the 
Romans. 

In  prowess  and  learning,  the  Babylonians,  with  their 
religious  prostitution,  were  superior  to  the  "  chosen  people." 
Of  the  wealth  and  enterprise  of  the  Phoenicians,  Ancient 
History  tells  us  abundance. 

There  are  probably  no  three  cities  in  ancient  or  modern 
times  which  contain  so  muny  vicious  individuals  as  London, 
Paris,  and  New  York.  Yet  there  are  none  which  history 
tells  us  of  that  were  more  powerful.  No  Babylonian  army 
equalled  in  might  or  numbers  the  army  of  the  Northern 
United  States.  Nineveh  never  wielded  armies  equal  to 
those  of  the  French  Napoleon  and  the  German  William, 
and  Rome  never  had  an  empire  equal  to  that  which  is 
headed  by  London. 

The  existence  of  personal  vice  does  not  ruin  a  nation  in 
its  collective  capacity.  Nor  does  the  most  'sensual  form  of 
religion  stunt  the  prosperity  of  a  people,  so  long  as  the  latter 
do  not  bow  their  necks  to  a  priesthood. 

The  greatest  curse  to  a  nation  is  not  a  bad  religion,  but  a 
form  of  faith  which  prevents  manly  inquiry.  I  know  of  no 
nation  of  old  that  was  priest-ridden  which  did  not  fall  under 
the  swords  of  those  who  did  not  care  for  hierarchs. 

The  greatest  danger  is  to  be  feared  from  those  ecclesias- 
tics who  wink  at  vice,  and  encourage  it  as  a  means  whereby 
they  can  gain  power  over  their  votaries.  So  long  as  every 
man  does  to  other  men  as  he  would  that  they  should  do  to 
him,  and  allows  no  one  to  interfere  between  him  and  his 
Maker,  all  will  go  well  with  the  world. 


WHILST  the  following  sheets  were  going  through  the  press, 
my  friend  Mr.  Newton,  who  has  not  only  assisted  me  in  a 
variety  of  ways,  but  who  has  taken  a  great  deal  of  interest  in 
the  subject  of  symbolism,  gave  me  to  understand  that  there 
were  some  matters  in  which  he  differed  very  strongly  from 
me  in  opinion.  One  of  these  was  as  to  the  correct  interpre- 
tation of  the  so-called  Assyrian  grove;  another  was  the 
signification  of  one  of  Lajard's  gems,  Plate  iv.,  Fig.  3 ;  and 
the  most  conspicuous  of  o'ur  divergencies  was  respecting  the 
fundamental,  or  basic  idea,  which  prompted  the  use  in 
religion  of  those  organs  of  reproduction  which  have,  from 
time  immemorial,  been  venerated  in  Hindostan,  and,  as  far  as 
we  can  learn,  in  Ancient  Egypt,  Babylonia,  Assyria,  Tyre, 
Sidon,  Carthage,  Jerusalem,  Etruria,  Greece,  and  Eome,  as 
well  as  in  countries  called  uncivilised.  I  feel  quite  disposed 
to  acquiesce  in  the  opinions  which  my  old  friend  has  formed 
respecting  the  Assyrian  grove,  but  I  am  not  equally  ready  to 
assent  to  his  other  opinions. 

Where  two  individuals  are  working  earnestly  for  the 
elucidation  of  truth,  there  ought,  in  my  opinion,  to  be  not 
only  a  tolerance  of  disagreement,  but  an  honest  effort  to 
submit  the  subject  to  a  jury  of  thoughtful  readers. 

As  I  should  not  feel  satisfied  to  allow  any  other  person 
to  express  my  opinions  in  his  words,  it  seemed  to  me  only 
fair  to  Mr.  Newton  to  give  him  the  facility  of  enunciating 
his  views  in  his  own  language.  It  was  intended,  originally, 
that  my  friend's  observations  upon  the  "  grove  "  should  be 
followed  by  a  dissertation  upon  other  relics  of  antiquity — 
notably  upon  that  known  as  Stonehenge — but  circumstances 
have  prevented  this  design  being  carried  into  execution. 

When  two  individuals  who  have  much  in  common  go 


over  the  same  ground,  it  is  natural,  indeed  almost  necessary, 
that  they  should  dwell  upon  identical  topics.  Hence  it  will 
be  found  that  there  are  points  which  are  referred  to  by  us 
both,  although  possibly  in  differing  relationship. 

As  my  own  part  of  the  following  remarks  were  printed 
long  before  I  saw  Mr.  Newton's  manuscript,  I  hope  to  be 
pardoned  for  allowing  them  to  stand.  The  bulk  of  the 
volume  will  not  be  increased  to  the  extent  of  a  full  page. 

If  I  were  to  be  asked  the  reason  why  I  differ  from  Mr. 
Newton  in  his  exalted  idea  about  the  adoption  of  certain 
bodily  organs  as  types,  tokens,  or  emblems  of  an  unseen  and 
an  inscrutable  Creator,  my  answer  would  be  drawn  from  the 
observations  made  upon  every  known  order  of  priesthood, 
from  the  most  remote  antiquity  to  the  present  time.  No 
matter  what  the  creed,  whether  Ancient  or  Modern,  the  main 
object  of  its  exponents  and  supporters  is  to  gain  over  the 
minds  of  the  populace.  This  has  never  yet  been  done,  and 
probably  never  will  be  attempted,  by  educating  the  mind  of 
the  multitude  to  think. 

In  Great  Britain  we  find  three  sets  of  hierarchs  opposed 
to  each  other,  and  all  equally,  by  every  means  in  their  power, 
prohibit  independent  inquiry. 

A  young  .Romanist  convert,  as  we  have  recently  seen,  is 
discouraged  from  persevering  in  the  study  of  history  and 
logic ;  a  Presbyterian  is  persecuted,  as  far  as  the  law  of  the 
land  permits,  if  he  should  engage  in  an  honest  study  of  the 
Bible,  of  the  God  which  it  presents  for  our  worship,  and  of 
the  laws  that  it  enforces.  A  bishop  of  the  Church  of 
England  is  visited  by  the  puny  and  spiteful  efforts  of 
some  of  his  nominal  equals  if  he  ventures  to  treat  Jewish 
writings  as  other  critics  study  the  tomes  of  Livy  or  of 
Herodotus. 

One  set  of  men  have  banded  together  to  elect  a  god  on 
earth,  and  endeavour  to  coerce  their  fellow-mortals  to  believe 


that  a  selection  by  a  few  old  cardinals  can  make  the  one 
whom  they  choose  to  honour  "infallible." 

Another  set  of  men,  who  profess  to  eschew  the  idea  of 
infallibility  in  a  Pope,  assume  that  they  possess  the  quality 
themselves,  and  endeavour  to  blot  out  from  the  communion 
of  the  faithful  those  who  differ  from  them  "  on  points  which 
God  hath  left  at  large." 

Surely,  when  with  all  our  modern  learning,  thought,  and 
scientific  enquiry,  hierarchs  still  set  their  faces  against  an 
advance  in  knowledge,  and  quell,  if  possible,  every  endeavour 
to  search  after  truth,  we  are  not  far  wrong  when  we  assert, 
that  the  first  priests  of  barbarism  had  no  exalted  views  of 
such  an  abstract  subject  as  life,  in  the  higher  and  highest 
senses,  if  indeed  in  any  sense  of  the  word. 

Another  small  point  of  difference  between  my  friend  and 
me  is,  whether  there  has  been  at  any  time  a  figured  represen- 
tation of  a  kakodoemon —  except  since  the  beginning  of 
Christianity — and  if,  by  way  of  stretching  a  point,  we  call 
Typhon — Satan  or  the  Devil — by  this  name,  as  being  opposed 
to  the  Agathodcemon,  whether  we  are  justified  in  providing 
this  evil  genius  with  wings.  As  far  as  I  can  judge  from 
Chaldean  and  Assyrian  sculptures,  wings  were  given  to  the 
lesser  deities  as  our  artists  assign  them  to  modern  angels. 
The  Babylonian  Apollyon,  by  whatever  name  he  went,  was 
winged  —  but  so  were  all  the  good  gods.  The  Egyptians 
seem  to  have  assigned  wings  only  to  the  favourable  divinities. 
The  Jews  had  in  their  mythology  a  set  of  fiery  flying 
serpents,  but  we  must  notice  that  their  cherubim  and  sera- 
phim were  all  winged,  some  with  no  less  than  three  pairs — 
much  as  Hindoo  gods  have  four  heads  and  six,  or  any  other 
number  of  arms. 

Mr.  Newton  assumes  that  the  dragon  mentioned  in  Rev. 
xii.  was  a  winged  creature,  but  it  is  clear  from  the  context, 
especially  from  verses  14  and  15,  that  he  had  no  pinions,  for 


he  was  unable  to  follow  the  woman  to  whom  two  aerial  oars 
had  been  given. 

The  dragon,  as  we  know  it,  is,  I  believe,  a  mediaeval 
creation ;  such  a  creature  is  only  spoken  of  in  the  Bible  in 
the  book  of  Revelation,  and  the  author  of  that  strange  pro- 
duction drew  his  inspiration  on  this  point  from  the  Iliad, 
where  a  dragon  is  described  as  of  huge  size,  coiled  like  a 
snake,  of  blood-red  colour,  shot  with  changeful  hues,  and 
having  three  heads.  Homer,  Liddell,  and  Scott  add — used 
Spoixoov  and  o$<r  indifferently  for  a  serpent.  So  does  the  author 
of  Rev.  in  ch.  xx.  2.  I  have  been  unable  to  discover  any 
gnostic  gem  with  anything  like  a  modem  dragon  on  it. 

Holding  these  views,  I  cannot  entertain  the  proposition 
that  the  winged  creatures  in  the  very  remarkable  gem  already 
referred  to  are  evil  genii. 

In  a  question  of  this  kind  the  mind  is  perhaps  uncon- 
sciously biassed  by  comparing  one  antiquarian  idea  with 
another.  A  searcher  amongst  Etruscan  vases  will  see  not 
only  that  the  angel  of  death  is  winged,  but  that  Cupid,  Eros, 
or  by  whatever  other  name  "  desire  "  or  love  goes,  frequently 
hovers  over  the  bridal  or  otherwise  voluptuous  couch,  and 
attends  beauty  at  her  toilet.  The  Greeks  also  gave  to  Eros 
a  pair  of  wings,  intended,  it  is  fancied,  to  represent  the 
flutterings  of  the  heart,  produced  when  lovers  meet  or  even 
think  of  each  other.  Such  a  subordinate  deity  would  be  in 
place  amongst  so  many  sexual  emblems  as  Plate  iv.  Fig.  3 
contains,  whilst  a  koakd&mon  would  be  a  "  spoil  sport,"  and 
would  make  the  erected  serpents  drop  rather  than  remain  in 
their  glory. 

These  matters  are  apparently  of  small  importance,  but 
when  one  is  studying  the  signification  of  symbolical  lan- 
guage, he  has  to  pay  as  close  an  attention,  and  extend  the 
net  of  observation  over  as  wide  a  sea  as  a  scholar  does  when 
endeavouring  to  decipher  some  language  written  in  long- 


forgotten  characters,  and  some  divergence  of  opinion  between 
independent  observers  sharpens  the  intellect  more  than  it 
tries  the  temper. 


PAGAN  AND  CHEISTIAN  SYMBOLISM. 


PLATE   I. 

This  is  taken  from  a  photograph  of  a  small  bronze  image 
in  the  Mayer  collection  of  the  Free  Museum,  in  Liverpool. 
The  figure  stands  about  nine  inches  high,  and  represents 
Isis,  Horus,  and  the  fish.  It  is  an  apt  illustration  of  an 
ancient  custom,  still  prevalent  amongst  certain  Christians, 
of  reverencing  a  woman,  said  to  be  a  virgin,  giving  suck  to 
her  child,  and  of  the  association  of  Isis,  Venus,  and  Mary 
with  the  fish.  Friday,  for  example,  is,  with  the  Romanists, 
both  "  fish  day,"  and  "  dies  Veneris."  Fish  are  known  to 
be  extraordinarily  prolific.  There  was  a  belief  that  animals, 
noted  for  any  peculiarity,  imparted  their  virtues  to  those  who 
ate  them  ;  consequently,  tigers'  flesh  was  supposed  to  give 
courage,  and  snails  to  give  sexual  power.  The  use  of  fish 
in  connubial  feasts  is  still  common.  Those  who  consider  it 
pious  or  proper  to  eat  fish  on  Venus'  day,  or  Friday,  pro- 
claim themselves,  unconsciously,  adherents  to  those  heathen 
ideas  which  deified  parts  about  which  no  one  now  likes  to 
talk.  The  fish  has  in  one  respect  affinity  with  the  mandrake. 

Since  the  first  publication  of  this  work,  a  friend  has  sug- 
gested to  me  another  reason,  besides  its  fertility,  for  the  fish 
being  emblematic  of  woman.  From  his  extensive  experience  as 
a  surgeon,  and  especially  among  the  lower  order  of  courtesans, 
he  has  repeatedly  noticed  during  the  hot  months  of  the  year 
that  the  parts  which  he  had  to  examine  have  a  very  strong 
odour  of  fish.  My  own  observations  in  the  same  department 
lead  me  to  endorse  his  assertion.  Consequently,  I  think 
that  in  warm  climates,  where  the  utmost  cleanliness  can 


2 

scarcely  keep  a  female  free  from  odour,  scent,  as  well  as 
other  attributes,  has  had  to  do  with  the  selection  of  the  fish 
as  an  emblem  of  woman. 

Still  further,  I  have  been  informed  by  another  friend 
that  in  Yorkshire,  and  I  understand  in  other  counties  of 
England,  the  double  entente  connected  with  the  fish  is  so 
marked  that  it  is  somewhat  difficult  to  render  it  into  decent 
phraseology.  It  will  suffice  to  say  that  in  the  county  men- 
tioned, Lais  or  Phryne  would  be  spoken  of  as  "a  choice  bit 
of  fish,"  and  that  a  man  who  bore  on  his  features  the  stamp 
which  is  imprinted  by  excessive  indulgence,  would  be  said  to 
have  indulged  too  much  in  "  a  fish  diet."  I  do  not  suppose 
that  in  the  Yorkshire  Ridings  the  folks  are  unusually  well 
acquainted  with  mythology,  yet  it  is  curious  to  find  amongst 
their  inhabitants  a  connection  between  Venus  and  the  Fish, 
precisely  similar  to  that  which  has  obtained  in  the  most 
remote  ages  and  in  far  distant  climes. 

It  is  clear  from  all  these  facts  that  the  fish  is  a  symbol 
not  only  of  woman,  but  of  the  yoni. 

PLATE   II. 

Is  supposed  to  represent  Cannes,  Dagon,  or  some  other  fish 
god.  It  is  copied  from  Lajard,  Sur  le  Culte  de  Venus, 
pi.  xxii.,  1,  la,  and  is  thus  described,  "  Statuette  inedite,  de 
gres  houiller  ou  micace,  d'un  brun  verdatre.  Elle  porte  par 
devant,  sur  une  bande  perpendiculaire,  un  legende  en  carac- 
teres  Syriaques  tres  anciens  (Cabinet  de  M.  Lambert, 
a  Lyon)."  I  can  find  no  clue  to  the  signification  of  the 
inscription.  It  would  seem  paradoxical  to  say  that  there  is 
something  in  common  between  the  bull-headed  deity  and 
Cannes.  It  is  so,  nevertheless.  One  indicates,  par  excel- 
lence, physical,  and  the  other  sexual,  power.  That  Cannes 
may,  for  the  Assyrians,  represent  a  man  who  played  a  part 
with  them  similar  to  that  of  Penn  among  the  Indians  of 
Pennsylvania,  I  do  not  deny ;  but,  when  we  find  a  similar 
fish-god  in  Philistia  and  Hindostan,  and  know  that  Crishna 


PLATE    II. 


U  >t-U>^\  / 

CKJ 


E$ 
hi 


P» 

Jyif 


1    111 

i .'  \  1 


PLATE    III 


8 

once  appeared  as  a  fish,  the  explanation  does  not  suffice. 
It  is  curious  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth  should  be  called  l%Qvs, 
or  "  a  fish  ";  but  this  only  proves  that  the  religion  of  Christ 
has  been  adulterated  by  Paganism. 

PLATE   III. 

Figs.  1  and  4  are  illustrations  of  the  antelope  as  a 
religious  emblem  amongst  the  Assyrians.  The  first  is  from 
Layard's  Nineveh,  and  in  it  we  see  carried  in  one  hand  a 
triply  branched  lotus  ;  the  second,  showing  the  regard  for  the 
spotted  antelope,  and  for  "the  branch,"  is  from  Bonomi's 
Nineveh  and  its  Palaces. 

Fig.  2  illustrates  Bacchus,  with  a  mystic  branch  in  one 
hand,  and  a  cup  in  the  other  ;  his  robe  is  covered  with  spots 
arranged  in  threes.  The  branch  is  emblematic  of  the  arbor 
vita,  or  tree  of  life,  and  its  powers  of  sprouting.  Such  a 
symbol  is,  by  outsiders,  figured  on  the  houses  of  newly 
married  couples  amongst  the  Jews  of  Morocco,  and  seems  to 
indicate  the  desire  of  friends  that  the  man  will  show  that  he 
is  vigorous,  and  able  to  have  many  sprouts  from  the  tree  of 
life.  It  will  be  noticed  that  on  the  fillet  round  the  god's 
head  are  arranged  many  crosses.  From  Hislop's  Two 
Babylons,  and  Smith's  Dictionary,  p.  208. 

Figs.  3  and  5  are  intended  to  show  the  prevalence  of  the 
use  of  spots  on  priestly  dresses ;  they  are  copied  from 
Hislop's  Two  Babylons,  and  Wilkinson,  vol.  vi.,  pi.  33,  and 
vol.  iv.,  pp.  341,  353.  For  an  explanation  of  the  significa- 
tion of  spots,  see  Plate  iv.,  Fig.  6,  infra. 

PLATE  IV. 

Fig.  1  represents  an  Assyrian  priest  worshipping  by 
presentation  of  the  thumb,  which  had  a  peculiar  signifi- 
cation. Sometimes  the  forefinger  is  pointed  instead,  and  in 
both  cases  the  male  is  symbolised.  It  is  taken  from  a  plate 
illustrating  a  paper  by  E.  C.  Kavenshaw,  Esq.,  in  Journal 
of  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  vol.  xvi.,  p.  114.  Amongst  the 


Hebrews,  and  probably  all  the  Shemitic  tribes,  bohen,  the 
thumb,  and  ezba,  the  finger,  were  euphemisms.  They  are 
so  in  some  parts  of  Europe  to  the  present  day.*  The  hand 
thus  presented  to  the  grove  resembles  a  part  of  the  Buddhist 
cross,  and  the  shank  of  a  key,  whose  signification  is  described 
in  a  subsequent  page. 

Fig.  2  is  a  Buddhist  emblem  ;  the  two  fishes  forming  the 
circle  represent  the  mystic  yoni,  the  sacti  of  Mahadeva,  while 
the  triad  above  them  represents  the  mystic  trinity,  the  triune 
father,  Siva,  Bel,  or  Asher,  united  with  Anu  and  Hea. 
From  Journal  of  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  vol.  xviii.,  p.  392, 
plate  ii. 

Fig.  3  is  a  very  remarkable  production.  It  originally 
belonged  to  Mons.  Lajard,  and  is  described  by  him  in  his 
second  Memoire,  entitled  Recherches  sur  le  Culte,  ks  Sym- 
boles,  les  Attribute,  et  les  Monumens  Figures  de  Venus 
(Paris,  1837),  in  pages  32,  et  seq.,  and  figured  in  plate  i., 
fig.  1.  The  real  age  of  the  gem  and  its  origin  are  not 
known,  but  the  subject  leads  that  author  to  believe  it  to  be 
of  late  Babylonian  workmanship.  The  stone  is  a  white 
agate,  shaped  like  a  cone,  and  the  cutting  is  on  its  lower 
face.  The  shape  of  this  gem  indicates  its  dedication  to 
Venus.  The  central  figures  represent  the  androgyne  deity, 
Baalim,  Astaroth,  Elohim,  Jupiter  genetrix,  or  the  bearded 
Venus  Mylitta.  On  the  left  side  of  the  cutting  we  notice  an 
erect  serpent,  whose  rayed  head  makes  us  recognise  the 
solar  emblem,  and  its  mundane  representative,  mentula 
arrecta ;  on  a  spot  opposite  to  the  centre  of  the  male's  body 
we  find  a  lozenge,  symbolic  of  the  yoni,  whilst  opposite  to 
his  feet  is  the  amphora,  whose  mystic  signification  may 

*  A  friend  ha§  informed  me,  for  example,  that  he  happened,  whilst  at  Pesth, 
to  look  at  a  gorgeously  dressed  and  handsome  young  woman.  To  his  astonishment 
she  pointed  her  thumh  precisely  in  the  manner  adopted  by  the  Assyrian  priests ; 
this  surprised  the  yonng  man  still  farther,  and  being,  as  it  were,  fascinated,  he 
continued  to  gaze.  The  damsel  then  grasped  the  thumb  by  the  other  hand ;  thus 
indicating  her  profession.  My  friend,  who  was  wholly  inexperienced  in  the  ways  of 
the  world,  only  understood  what  was  meant  when  he  saw  my  explanation  of  Fig.  1. 


PLATE    IV 


f] 


readily  be  recognised ;  it  is  meant  for  Ouranos,  or  the  Sun 
fructifying  Terra,  or  the  earth,  by  pouring  from  himself  into 
her.  The  three  stars  over  the  head  of  the  figure,  and  the 
inverted  triangle  on  its  head,  are  representations  of  the 
mythological  four,  equivalent  to  the  Egyptian  symbol  of 
life  (figs.  31,  32).  Opposite  to  the  female  are  the  moon, 
and  another  serpent,  which  may  be  recognised  by  physiologists 
as  symbolic  of  tensio  clitoridis.  In  a  part  corresponding  to 
the  diamond,  on  the  left  side,  is  a  six-rayed  wheel,  emblem- 
atic, apparently,  of  the  sun.  At  the  female's  feet  is  placed  a 
cup,  which  is  intended  to  represent  the  passive  element  in 
creation.  As  such  it  is  analogous  to  the  crescent  moon,  and 
is  associated  in  the  Roman  church  with  the  round  wafer,  the 
symbol  of  the  sun ;  the  wafer  and  cup  thus  being  synony- 
mous with  the  sun  and  moon  in  conjunction.  It  will  be 
observed  that  each  serpent  in  the  plate  is  apparently 
attacked  by  what  we  suppose  is  a  dragon.  There  is  some 
difficulty  in  understanding  the  exact  idea  intended  to  be 
conveyed  by  these ;  my  own  opinion  is  that  they  symbolise 
Satan,  the  old  serpent  that  tempted  Eve,  viz.,  fierce  lust, 
Eros,  Cupid,  or  desire,  which,  both  in  the  male  and  female, 
brings  about  the  arrectation  which  the  serpents  figure.  It 
is  not  to  be  passed  by  without  notice,  that  the  snake  which 
represents  the  male  has  the  tail  so  curved  as  to  suggest 
the  idea  of  the  second  and  third  elements  of  the  trinity. 
Monsieur  Lajard  takes  the  dragons  to  indicate  the  bad  prin- 
ciple in  nature,  i.  e.,  darkness,  night,  Ahriman,  etc.  On  the 
pyramidal  portion  of  the  gem  the  four  sides  are  ornamented 
by  figures — three  represent  animals  remarkable  for  their 
salacity,  and  the  fourth  represents  Bel  and  Ishtar  in  con- 
junction, in  a  fashion  which  can  be  more  easily  imagined 
than  described  in  the  mother  tongue.  The  learned  will 
find  the  position  assumed  in  Lucretius,  De  Rerum  Naturd, 
book  iv.,  lines  1256,  seq. 

Fig.  4  is  also  copied  from  Lajard,  plate  i.,  fig.  10.     It  is 
the  reverse  of  a  bronze  coin  of  Vespasian,    struck  in  the 


6 

island  of  Cyprus,  and  represents  the  conical  stone,  under 
whose  form  Venus  was  worshipped  at  Paphos,  of  which 
Tacitus  remarks,  Hist,  ii.,  c.  3,  "  the  statue  bears  no  resem- 
blance to  the  human  form,  but  is  round,  broad  at  one  end 
and  gradually  tapering  at  the  other,  like  a  goal.  The  reason 
of  this  is  not  ascertained."  It  is  remarkable  that  a  male 
emblem  should  be  said  to  represent  Venus,  but  the  stone 
was  an  aerolite,  like  that  which  fell  at  Ephesus,  and  was 
said  to  represent  Diana.  It  is  clear  that  when  a  meteoric 
stone  falls,  the  chief  priests  of  the  district  can  say  that  it 
is  to  be  taken  as  a  representative  of  their  divinity. 

My  very  ingenious  friend,  Mr.  Newton,  suggests  that  the 
Venus  in  question  was  androgyne ;  that  the  cone  is  a  male 
emblem,  within  a  door,  gateway,  or  delta,  thus  resembling 
the  Assyrian  grove.  It  is  certain  that  the  serpents,  the  two 
stars,  and  the  two  candelabra,  or  altars  with  flame,  favour  his 
idea. 

Fig.  5  represents  the  position  of  the  hands  assumed  by 
Jewish  priests  when  they  give  the  benediction  to  their  flock. 
It  will  be  recognised  that  each  hand  separately  indicates  the 
trinity,  whilst  the  junction  of  the  two  indicates  the  unit. 
The  whole  is  symbolic  of  the  mystic  Arba — the  four,  i.  e., 
the  trinity  and  unity.  One  of  my  informants  told  me  that, 
being  a  "  cohen  "  or  priest,  he  had  often  administered  the 
blessing,  and,  whilst  showing  to  me  this  method  of  bene- 
diction, placed  his  joined  hands  so  that  his  nose  entered  the 
central  aperture.  On  his  doing  so,  I  remarked  "  bene  nasa- 
tus"  and  the  expression  did  more  to  convince  him  of  the 
probability  of  my  views  than  anything  else. 

Fig.  6,  modified  in  one  form  or  another,  is  the  position 
assumed  by  the  hand  and  fingers,  when  Roman  and  Angli- 
can bishops  or  other  hierarchs  give  benediction  to  their 
people.  A  similar  disposition  is  to  be  met  with  in  Indian 
mythology,  when  the  Creator  doubles  himself  into  male  and 
female,  so  as  to  be  in  a  position  to  originate  new  beings. 
Whilst  the  right  hand  in  Plate  VII.  symbolises  the  male, 


PLATE    V. 


the  left  hand  represents  the  mystic  feminine  circle.  In 
another  plate,  which  is  to  be  found  in  Moor's  Hindu  Pan- 
theon, there  is  a  similar  figure,  but  draped  fully,  and  in  that 
the  dress  worn  by  the  celestial  spouse  is  covered  with  groups 
of  spots  arranged  in  triads  and  groups  of  four.  With  regard 
to  the  signification  of  spots,  we  may  notice  that  they  indi- 
cated, either  by  their  shape  or  by  their  name,  the  emblem  of 
womankind.  A  story  of  Indra,  the  Hindoo  god  of  the  sky, 
confirms  this.  He  is  usually  represented  as  bearing  a  robe 
covered  with  eyes ;  but  the  legend  runs  that,  like  David,  he 
became  enamoured  of  the  wife  of  another  man,  who  was  very 
beautiful  and  seen  by  chance,  but  her  spouse  was  one  whose 
austere  piety  made  him  almost  equal  to  Brahma.  The  evil 
design  of  Indra  was  both  frustrated  and  punished.  The 
woman  escaped,  but  the  god  became  covered  with  marks  that 
recalled  his  offence  to  mind,  for  they  were  pictures  of  the 
yoni.  These,  by  the  strong  intercession  of  Brahma  with  the 
Rishi,  were  changed  by  the  latter  into  eyes.  This  story 
enables  us  to  recognise  clearly  the  hidden  symbolism  of 
the  Hindoo  and  Egyptian  eye,  the  oval  representing  the 
female,  and  the  circle  the  male  lodged  therein — i.e.,  the 
androgyne  creator. 

PLATE  V. 

Is  a  copy  of  a  mediaeval  Virgin  and  Child,  as  painted  in 
Delia  Robbia  ware  in  the  South  Kensington  Museum,  a  copy 
of  which  was  given  to  me  by  my  friend,  Mr.  Newton,  to 
whose  kindness  I  am  indebted  for  many  illustrations  of 
ancient  Christian  art.  It  represents  the  Virgin  and  Child 
precisely  as  she  used  to  be  represented  in  Egypt,  in  India, 
in  Assyria,  Babylonia,  Phoenicia,  and  Etruria ;  the  accident 
of  dress  being  of  no  mythological  consequence.  In  the 
framework  around  the  group,  we  recognise  the  triformed 
leaf,  emblematic  of  Asher  ;  the  grapes,  typical  of  Dionysus  ; 
the  wheat  ears,  symbolic  of  Ceres,  I'abricot  fendu,  the  mark 
of  womankind,  and  the  pomegranate  rimmon,  which  charac- 


8 

terises  the  teeming  mother.  The  living  group,  moreover, 
are  placed  in  an  archway,  delta,  or  door,  which  is  symbolic 
of  the  female,  like  the  vesica  piscis,  the  oval  or  the  circle. 
This  door  is,  moreover,  surmounted  by  what  appear  to  be 
snails,  whose  supposed  virtue  we  have  spoken  of  under  Plate 
i.  This  identification  of  Mary  with  the  Sacti  is  strong ; 
by-and-by  we  shall  see  that  it  is  as  complete  as  it  is  possible 
to  be  made. 

PLATE  VI. 

Is  a  copy  of  figures  given  in  Bryant's  Ancient  Mythology, 
plates  xiii.,  xxviii.,  third  edition,  1807.  The  first  two  illus- 
trate the  story  of  Palemon  and  Cetus,  introducing  the 
dolphin.  That  fish  is  symbolic  of  the  female,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  assonance  in  Greek  between  its  name  and  that 
of  the  womb,  delphis  and  delphus.  The  tree  symbolises  the 
arbor  vitce,  the  life-giving  sprout ;  and  the  ark  is  a  symbol  of 
the  womb.  The  third  figure,  where  a  man  rests  upon  a  rock 
and  dolphin,  and  toys  with  a  mother  and  child,  is  equally 
suggestive.  The  male  is  repeatedly  characterised  as  a  rock, 
hermes,  menhir,  tolmen,  or  upright  stone,  the  female  by  the 
dolphin,  or  fish.  The  result  of  the  junction  of  these 
elements  appears  in  the  child,  whom  both  parents  welcome. 
The  fourth  figure  represents  two  emblems  of  the  male 
creator,  a  man  and  trident,  and  two  of  the  female,  a  dolphin 
and  ship.  The  two  last  figures  represent  a  coin  of  Apamea, 
representing  Noah  and  the  ark,  called  Cibotus.  Bryant 
labours  to  prove  that  the  group  commemorates  the  story 
told  in  the  Bible  respecting  the  flood,  but  there  is  strong 
doubt  whether  the  story  was  not  of  Babylonian  origin.  The 
city  referred  to  was  in  Phrygia,  and  the  coin  appears  to  have 
been  struck  by  Philip  of  Macedon.  The  inscription  round 
the  head  is  ATT.  K.  IOVA  *IAIIIIIOC.  ATT. ;  on  the 
reverse,  EIIMA.  VP.  AA.  EHANAP.  OTB.  APXI  AIIA- 
ME&N.  See  Ancient  Faiths,  second  edition,  Vol.  n.,  pp. 
123,  and  385  -  392. 


PLATE    VI 


PLATE    VII. 


RIGHT    SIDE    WA 


(THE  SAOTI) 


(BRAMAH  VAIVARTTA  PURANU.  PROFESSOR  WILSON.) 


ARDANARI-ISWARA. 


PLATE    VIII. 


9 

PLATE  VII. 

Is  a  copy  of  an  original  drawing  made  by  a  learned  Hindoo 
pundit  for  Wm.  Simpson,  Esq.,  of  London,  whilst  he  was 
in  India  studying  its  mythology.  It  represents  Brahma 
supreme,  who  in  the  act  of  creation  made  himself  double, 
i.e.,  male  and  female.  In  the  original  the  central  part 
of  the  figure  is  occupied  by  the  triad  and  the  unit,  but 
far  too  grossly  shown  for  reproduction  here.  They  are 
replaced  by  the  crux  ansata.  The  reader  will  notice  the 
triad  and  the  serpent  in  the  male  hand,  whilst  in  the  female 
is  to  be  seen  a  germinating  seed,  indicative  of  the  relative 
duties  of  father  and  mother.  The  whole  stands  upon  a 
lotus,  the  symbol  of  androgyneity.  The  technical  word  for 
this  incarnation  is  "  Arddha  Nari." 

PLATE  VIII. 

Is  Devi,  the  same  as  Parvati,  or  Bhavani.  It  is  copied  from 
Moor's  Pantheon,  plate  xxx.  The  goddess  represents  the 
feminine  element  in  the  universe.  Her  forehead  is  marked 
by  one  of  the  symbols  of  the  four  creators,  the  triad,  and 
the  unit.  Her  dress  is  covered  with  symbolic  spots,  and  one 
foot  peculiarly  placed  is  marked  by  a  circle  having  a  dot 
in  the  interior.  The  two  bear  the  same  signification  as  the 
Egyptian  eye.  I  am  not  able  to  define  the  symbolic  import 
of  the  articles  held  in  the  lower  hands.  Moor  considers  that 
they  represent  scrolls  of  paper,  but  this  I  doubt.  The  raised 
hands  bear  the  unopened  lotus  flower,  and  the  goddess  sits 
upon  another. 

PLATE  IX. 

Consists  of  six  figures,  copied  from  Maurice's  Indian  Anti- 
quities, vol.  vi.,  p.  273,  and  two  from  Bryant's  Mythology, 
vol.  ii.,  third  edition,  pp.  203  and  409.  All  are  symbolic  of 
the  idea  of  the  male  triad  :  a  central  figure,  erect,  and  rising 
above  the  other  two.  In  one  an  altar  and  fire  indicate, 
mystically,  the  linga ;  in  another,  the  same  is  pourtrayed  as 


10 

a  man,  as  Madaheva  always  is ;  in  another,  there  is  a  tree 
stump  and  serpent,  to  indicate  the  same  idea.  The  two 
appendages  of  the  linga  are  variously  described;  in  two 
instances  as  serpents,  in  other  two  as  tree  and  concha,  and 
snake  and  shell.  The  two  last  seem  to  embody  the  idea 
that  the  right  "  egg "  of  the  male  germinates  boys,  whilst 
the  left  produces  girls ;  a  theory  common  amongst  ancient 
physiologists.  The  figure  of  the  tree  encircled  by  the  ser- 
pent, and  supported  by  two  stones  resembling  "tolmen,"  is 
very  significant.  The  whole  of  these  figures  seem  to  point 
unmistakably  to  the  origin  of  the  very  common  belief  that 
the  male  Creator  is  triune.  In  Assyrian  theology  the  central 
figure  is  Bel,  Baal,  or  Asher ;  the  one  on  the  right  Anu, 
that  on  the  left  Hea.  See  Ancient  Faiths,  second  edition, 
Vol.  i.,  pp.  83-85.* 

There  are  some  authors  who  have  treated  of  tree  and 
serpent  worship,  and  of  its  prevalence  in  ancient  times, 
without  having,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  any  idea  of  that  which 
the  two  things  typify.  The  tree  of  knowledge,  the  tree 
of  life,  the  serpent  that  tempted  Eve,  and  still  tempts  man 
by  his  subtlety,  are  so  many  figures  of  speech  which  the  wise 
understand,  but  which  to  the  vulgar  are  simply  trees  and 
snakes.  In  a  fine  old  bas-relief  over  the  door  of  the  Cathe- 
dral at  Berne,  we  see  an  ancient  representation  of  the  last 
judgment.  An  angel  is  dividing  the  sheep  from  the  goats, 
and  devils  are  drawing  men  and  women  to  perdition,  by  fixing 
hooks  or  pincers  on  the  portions  of  the  body  whence  their 

*  For  those  who  have  not  an  opportunity  of  consulting  the  work  referred  to, 
I  may  observe  that  the  Assyrian  godhead  consisted  of  four  persons,  three  being 
male  and  one  female.  The  principal  god  was  Asher,  the  upright  one,  the  equiva- 
lent of  the  Hindoo  Mahadeva,  the  great  holy  one,  and  of  the  more  modern  Priapus. 
He  was  associated  with  Anu,  lord  of  solids  and  of  the  lower  world,  equivalent  to 
the  "  testis,"  or  egg  on  the  right  side.  Hea  was  lord  of  waters,  and  represented 
the  left  "  stone."  The  three  formed  the  trinity  or  triad.  The  female  was  named 
Ishtar  or  Astarte,  and  was  equivalent  to  the  female  organ,  the  yoni  or  vulva  —  the 
KTefe  of  the  Greeks.  The  male  god  in  Egypt  was  Osiris,  the  female  Isis,  and  these 
names  are  frequently  used  as  being  euphemistic,  and  preferable  to  the  names  which 
are  in  vulgar  use  to  describe  the  male  and  female  parts. 


PLATE    IX. 


PLATE    X. 


11 

sins  sprung.  One  fat  priest,  nude  as  our  risen  bodies  must 
be,  is  being  savagely  pulled  to  hell  by  the  part  symbolised 
by  tree  and  serpent,  whilst  she  whom  he  has  adored  and 
vainly  sought  to  disgrace,  is  rising  to  take  her  place  amongst 
the  blest.  It  is  not  those  of  the  sex  of  Eve  alone  that  are 
inveigled  to  destruction  by  the  serpent. 

PLATE  X. 

Contains  pagan  symbols  of  the  trinity  or  linga,  with  or 
without  the  unity  or  yoni. 

Fig.  1  represents  a  symbol  frequently  met  with  in  ancient 
architecture,  etc.  It  represents  the  male  and  female  ele- 
ments, the  pillar  and  the  half  moon. 

Fig.  2  represents  the  mystic  letters  said  to  have  been 
placed  on  the  portal  of  the  oracle  of  Delphi.  By  some  it  is 
proposed  to  read  the  two  letters  as  signifying  "he  or  she  is;" 
by  others  the  letters  are  taken  to  be  symbolic  of  the  triad 
and  the  unit.  If  they  be,  the  pillar  is  a  very  unusual  form 
for  the  yoni.  An  ingenious  friend  of  mine  regards  the 
upright  portion  as  a  "  slit,"  but  I  cannot  wholly  agree  with 
him,  for  in  Fig.  1  the  pillar  cannot  be  looked  upon  as  an 
aperture. 

Fig.  3  is  a  Hindoo  sectarial  mark,  copied  from  Moor's 
Hindu  Pantheon,  and  is  one  out  of  many  indicating  the 
union  of  the  male  and  female. 

Fig.  4  is  emblematic  of  the  virgin  and  child.  It 
identifies  the  two  with  the  crescent.  It  is  singular  that 
some  designers  should  unite  the  moon  with  the  solar  symbol, 
and  others  with  the  virgin.  We  believe  that  the  first  indi- 
cate ideas  like  that  associated  with  Baalim,  and  Ashtaroth  in 
the  plural,  the  second  that  of  Astarte  or  Venus  in  the 
singular.  Or,  as  we  may  otherwise  express  it,  the  married 
and  the  immaculate  virgin. 

Fig.  5  is  copied  from  Sharpe's  Egyptian  Mythology, 
p.  15.  It  represents  one  of  the  Egyptian  trinities,  and 
is  highly  symbolic,  not  only  indicating  the  triad,  here 


12 

Osiris,  Isis,  and  Nepthys,  but  its  union  with  the  female 
element.  The  central  god  Osiris  is  himself  triune,  as  he 
bears  the  horns  symbolic  of  the  goddess  Athor  and  the 
feathers  of  the  god  Ba. 

Fig.  6  is  a  Hindoo  sectarial  mark,  from  Moor's  Hindu 
Pantheon.  The  lozenge  indicates  the  yoni.  For  this  asser- 
tion we  not  only  have  evidence  in  Babylonian  gems,  copied  by 
Lajard,  but  in  Indian  and  Etruscan  designs.  We  find,  for 
example,  in  vol.  v.,  plate  xlv.,  of  Antiquites  Etrusques,  etc., 
par.  F.  A.  David  (Paris,  1785),  a  draped  female,  wearing  on 
her  breast  a  half  moon  and  mural  crown,  holding  her  hands 
over  the  middle  spot  of  the  body,  so  as  to  form  a  "  lozenge" 
with  the  forefingers  and  thumbs.  The  triad  in  this  figure  is 
very  distinct;  and  we  may  add  that  a  trinity  expressed  by 
three  balls  or  three  circles  is  to  be  met  with  in  the  remotest 
times  and  in  most  distant  countries. 

Figs.  7,  8,  9  and  10  are  copied  from  Cabrera's  account  of 
an  ancient  city  discovered  near  Palenque,  in  Guatemala, 
Spanish  America  (London,  1822).  Although  they  appear  to 
have  a  sexual  design,  yet  I  doubt  whether  the  similarity  is 
not  accidental.  After  a  close  examination  of  the  plates 
given  by  Cabrera,  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  nothing  of  the 
ling-yoni  element  prevailed  in  the  mind  of  the  ancient 
American  sculptors.  All  the  males  are  carefully  draped  in 
appropriate  girdles,  although  in  some  a  grotesque  or  other 
ornament,  such  as  a  human  or  bestial  head,  a  flower,  etc.,  is 
attached  to  the  apron  or  "fall"  of  the  girdle,  resembling  the 
sporran  of  the  Highlander  and  the  codpiece  of  mediaeval 
knights  and  others.  I  may,  however,  mention  some  very 
remarkable  sculptures  copied ;  one  is  a  tree,  whose  trunk  is 
surrounded  by  a  serpent,  and  whose  fruit  is  shaped  like 
the  vesica  piscis ;  in  another  is  seen  a  youth  wholly 
unclothed,  save  by  a  cap  and  gaiters,  who  kneels  before  a 
similar  tree,  being  threatened  before  and  behind  by  some 
fierce  animal.  This  figure  is  peculiar,  differing  from  all  the 
rest  in  having  an  European  rather  than  an  American  head 


18 

and  face.  Indeed,  the  features,  etc.,  remind  me  of  the  late 
Mr.  Cobden,  and  the  cap  is  such  as  yachting  sailors  usually 
wear.  There  is  also  another  remarkable  group,  consisting 
apparently  of  a  man  and  woman  standing  before  a  cross, 
proportioned  like  the  conventional  one  in  use  amongst 
Christians.  Everything  indicates  American  ideas,  and  there 
are  ornaments  or  designs  wholly  unlike  any  that  I  have  seen 
elsewhere.  The  man  appears  to  offer  to  the  cross  a  gro- 
tesque human  figure,  with  a  head  not  much  unlike  Punch, 
with  a  turned-up  nose,  and  a  short  pipe  shaped  like  a  fig  in 
his  mouth.  The  body  is  well  formed,  but  the  arms  and 
thighs  are  rounded  off  like  "flippers"  or  "fins."  Resting 
at  the  top  of  the  cross  is  a  bird,  like  a  game  cock,  orna- 
mented by  a  necklace.  The  male  in  this  and  the  other 
sculptures  is  beardless,  and  that  women  are  depicted,  can 
only  be  guessed  at  by  the  inferior  size  of  some  of  the 
figures.  It  would  be  unprofitable  to  carry  the  description 
farther. 

Figs.  11,  12  are  from  vol.  i.,  plates  xix.  and  xxiii.  of  a 
remarkably  interesting  work,  Recherches  sur  V  origine,  V  esprit, 
et  les  progres  des  Arts  de  la  Grece,  said  to  be  written 
by  D'Harcanville,  published  at  London,  1785.  The  first 
represents  a  serpent,  coiled  so  as  to  symbolise  the  male  triad, 
and  the  crescent,  the  emblem  of  the  yoni. 

Fig.  12  accompanies  the  bull  on  certain  coins,  and  sym- 
bolises the  sexual  elements,  le  baton  et  V  anneau.  They 
were  used,  as  the  horse-shoe  is  now,  as  a  charm  against 
bad  luck,  or  vicious  demons  or  fairies. 

Fig.  13  is,  like  figure  5,  from  Sharpe's  Egyptian  Mytho- 
logy, p.  14,  and  is  said  to  represent  Isis,  Nepthys,  and 
Osiris  ;  it  is  one  of  the  many  Mizraite  triads.  The  Christian 
trinity  is  of  Egyptian  origin,  and  is  as  surely  a  pagan  doctrine 
as  the  belief  in  heaven  and  hell,  the  existence  of  a  devil,  of 
archangels,  angels,  spirits  and  saints,  martyrs  and  virgins, 
intercessors  in  heaven,  gods  and  demigods,  and  other  forms 
of  faith  which  deface  the  greater  part  of  modern  religions. 


14 

Figure  14  is  a  symbol  frequently  seen  in  Greek  churches, 
but  appears  to  be  of  pre-christian  origin.*  The  cross 
we  have  elsewhere  described  as  being  a  compound  male 
emblem,  whilst  the  crescent  symbolises  the  female  element 
in  creation. 

Figure  15  is  from  D'Harcanville,  Op.  Git.,  vol.  i.,  plate 
xxiii.  It  resembles  Figure  11,  supra,  and  enables  us  by  the 
introduction  of  the  sun  and  moon  to  verify  the  deduction 
drawn  from  the  arrangement  of  the  serpent's  coils.  If  the 
snake's  body,  instead  of  being  curved  above  the  8  like 
tail,  were  straight,  it  would  simply  indicate  the  linga  and 
the  sun ;  the  bend  in  its  neck,  however,  indicates  the  yoni 
and  the  moon. 

Figure  16  is  copied  from  plate  xvi.,  fig.  2,  of  Recueil  de 
Pierres  Antiques  Graves,  folio,  by  J.  M.  Raponi  (Home, 
1786).  The  gem  represents  a  sacrifice  to  Priapus,  indicated 
by  the  rock,  pillar,  figure,  and  branches  given  in  our  plate. 
A  nude  male  sacrifices  a  goat ;  a  draped  female  holds  a  kid 
ready  for  immolation ;  a  second  man,  nude,  plays  the  double 
pipe,  and  a  second  woman,  draped,  bears  a  vessel  on  her 
head,  probably  containing  wine  for  a  libation. 

Figure  17  is  from  vol.  i.  Recherches,  etc.,  plate  xxii.  In 
this  medal  the  triad  is  formed  by  a  man  and  two  coiled 
serpents  on  the  one  side  of  the  medal,  whilst  on  the  reverse 
are  seen  a  tree,  surrounded  by  a  snake,  situated  between  two 
rounded  stones,  with  a  dog  and  a  conch  shell  below.  See 
supra,  Plate  ix.,  Fig.  6. 

PLATE  XI. 

— With  two  exceptions,  Figs.  4  and  9,  —  exhibits  Christian 
emblems  of  the  trinity  or  linga,  and  the  unity  or  yoni,  alone 
or  combined  ;  the  whole  being  copied  from  Pugin's  Glossary 
of  Ecclesiastical  Ornament  (London,  1869). 

Fig.  1  is  copied  from  Pugin,  plate  xvii.,  and  indicates  a 

•  There  is  an  able  essay  on  this  subject  in  No.  267  of  the  Edinburgh  Review — 
which  almost  exhausts  the  subject — but  is  too  long  for  quotation  here. 


15 

double  union  of  the  trinity  with  the  unity,  here  represented 
as  a  ring,  V  anneau. 

Figs.  2,  3,  are  from  Pugin,  plate  xiv.  In  figure  2,  the 
two  covered  balls  at  the  base  of  each  limb  of  the  cross  are 
extremely  significant,  and  if  the  artist  had  not  mystified 
the  free  end,  the  most  obtuse  worshipper  must  have  recog- 
nised the  symbol.  We  may  add  here  that  in  the  two  forms 
of  the  Maltese  cross,  the  position  of  the  lingam  is  reversed, 
and  the  egg-shaped  bodies,  with  their  cover,  are  at  the  free 
end  of  each  limb,  whilst  the  natural  end  of  the  organ  is  left 
unchanged.  See  figs.  35  and  36.  This  form  of  cross  is 
Etruscan.  Fig.  3  is  essentially  the  same  as  the  preceding, 
and  both  may  be  compared  with  Fig.  4.  The  balls  in  this 
cross  are  uncovered,  and  the  free  end  of  each  limb  of  the 
cross  is  but  slightly  modified. 

Fig.  4  is  copied  in  a  conventional  form  from  plate  xxxv., 
fig.  4,  of  Two  Essays  on  the  Worship  of  Priapus  (London, 
1865).  It  is  thus  described  (page  147) :  "  The  object  was 

found  at  St.  Agati  di  Goti,  near  Naples It  is  a  crux 

cmsata  formed  by  four  phalli,  with  a  circle  of  female  organs 
round  the  centre ;  and  appears  by  the  look  to  have  been 
intended  for  suspension.  As  this  cross  is  of  gold,  it  had  no 
doubt  been  made  for  some  personage  of  rank,  possibly  an 
ecclesiastic."  We  see  here  very  distinctly  the  design  of  the 
egg-  and  sistrum-shaped  bodies.  When  we  have  such  an 
unmistakable  bi-sexual  cross  before  our  eyes,  it  is  impossible 
to  ignore  the  signification  of  Figs.  2  and  3,  and  Plate  xii., 
Figs.  4  and  7. 

Figs.  5,  6  are  from  Pugin,  plates  xiv.  and  xv.,  and  repre- 
sent the  trinity  with  the  unity,  the  triune  god  and  the  virgin 
united  in  one. 

Fig.  7  represents  the  central  lozenge  and  one  limb  of 
a  cross,  figured  plate  xiv.  of  Pugin.  In  this  instance  the 
Maltese  cross  is  united  with  the  symbol  of  the  virgin,  being 
essentially  the  same  as  Fig.  9,  infra.  It  is  a  modified  form 
of  the  crux  ansata. 


16 

Fig.  8  is  a  compound  trinity,  being  the  finial  of  each 
limb  of  an  ornamental  cross.  Pugin,  plate  xv. 

Fig.  9  is  a  well-known  Egyptian  symbol,  borne  in  the 
hand  of  almost  every  divinity.  It  is  a  cross,  with  one  limb 
made  to  represent  the  female  element  in  creation.  The 
name  that  it  technically  bears  is  crux  ansata,  or  "  the  cross 
with  a  handle."  A  reference  to  Fig.  4  serves  to  verify  the 
idea  which  it  involves. 

Fig.  10  is  from  Pugin,  plate  xxxv.  In  this  figure 
the  cross  is  made  by  the  intersection  of  two  ovals,  each 
a  vesica  piscis,  an  emblem  of  the  yoni.  Within  each  limb  a 
symbol  of  the  trinity  is  seen,  each  of  which  is  associated 
with  the  central  ring. 

Fig.  11  is  from  Pugin,  plate  xix.,  and  represents  the  arbor 
vitte,  the  branch,  or  tree  of  life,  as  a  triad,  with  which  the 
ring  is  united. 

It  has  been  said  by  some  critics  that  the  figures  above 
referred  to  are  mere  architectural  fancies,  which  never  had 
pretensions  to  embody  a  mystery;  and  that  any  designer 
would  pitch  upon  such  a  style  of  ornamentation  although 
profoundly  ignorant  of  the  doctrine  of  the  trinity  and  unity- 
But  this  assumption  is  not  borne  out  by  fact ;  the  ornaments 
on  Buddhist  topes  have  nothing  in  common  with  those  of 
Christian  churches  ;  whilst  in  the  ruined  temple  of  the 
sun  at  Marttand,  India,  the  trefoil  emblem  of  the  trinity  is 
common.  Grecian  temples  were  profusely  ornamented  there- 
with, and  so  are  innumerable  Etruscan  sculptures,  but  they  do 
not  represent  the  trinity  and  unity.  It  has  been  reserved  for 
Christian  art  to  crowd  our  churches  with  the  emblems  of 
Bel  and  Astarte,  Baalim  and  Ashtoreth,  linga  and  yoni, 
and  to  elevate  the  phallus  to  the  position  of  the  supreme 
deity,  and  assign  to  him  a  virgin  as  a  companion,  who 
can  cajole  him  by  her  blandishment,  weary  him  by  wail- 
ing, or  induce  him  to  change  his  mind  by  her  interces- 
sions. Christianity  certainly  requires  to  be  purged  of  its 
heathenisms. 


PLATE    XII 


17 

PLATE   XII. 

Contains  both  pagan  and  Christian  emblems. 

Fig.  1  is  from  Pugin,  plate  xviii.,  and  is  a  very  common 
finial  representing  the  trinity.  Its  shape  is  too  significant  to 
require  an  explanation;  yet  with  such  emblems  our  Christian 
churches  abound,  that  the  Trinity  may  never  be  absent  from 
the  minds  of  man  or  woman  ! 

Fig.  2  is  from  Pugin,  plate  xxi.  It  is  a  combination 
of  ideas  concealing  the  union  patent  in  Fig.  4,  Plate  xi.,  supra. 

Fig.  3  is  from  Moor's  Hindu  Pantheon.  It  is  an  orna- 
ment borne  by  Devi,  and  symbolises  the  union  of  the  triad 
with  the  unit. 

Fig.  4  is  from  Pugin,  plate  xxxii.  It  is  a  double 
cross  made  up  of  the  male  and  female  emblems.  It  is 
a  conventionalised  form  of  Fig.  4,  Plate  xi.,  supra.  Such 
eight-rayed  figures,  made  like  stars,  seem  to  have  been  very 
ancient,  and  to  have  been  designed  to  indicate  the  junction  of 
male  and  female. 

Fig.  5  is  from  Pugin,  plate  xvii.,  and  represents  the 
trinity  and  the  unity. 

Fig.  6  is  a  Buddhist  emblem  from  Birmah,  Journal 
of  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  vol.  xviii.,  p.  392,  plate  i.,  fig. 
52.  It  represents  the  short  sword,  le  bracquemard,  a  male 
symbol. 

Fig.  7.  is  from  Pugin,  plate  xvii.  See  Plate  xi.,  Fig.  3, 
supra. 

Figs.  8,  9,  10,  11,  12  are  Buddhist  (see  Fig.  6,  supra), 
and  symbolise  the  triad. 

Figs.  13,  14,  15,  16,  17  are  from  Pugin,  and  simply 
represent  the  trinity. 

Figs.  18  and  19  are  common  Grecian  emblems.  The 
first  is  associated  with  Neptune  and  water,  the  second  with 
Bacchus.  With  the  one  we  see  dolphins,  emblems  of  the 
womb,  the  name  of  the  two  being  assonant  in  Greek ;  with 
the  other,  the  saying,  sine  Baccho  et  Cerere  friget  Venus, 
must  be  coupled. 

B 


18 

PLATE   XIII. 

Consists  of  various  emblems  of  the  triad  and  the  unit,  drawn 
almost  exclusively  from  Grecian,  Etruscan,  Roman,  and 
Indian  gems,  figures,  coins,  or  sculptures,  Maffei's  Gemme 
Antiche  Figurate,  Raponi's  Recueil,  and  Moor's  Hindu  Pan- 
theon, being  the  chief  authorities. 

PLATE   XIV. 

Is  a  copy  of  a  small  Hindoo  statuette  in  the  Mayer  Collec- 
tion in  the  Free  Museum,  Liverpool.  It  probably  repre- 
sents Parvati,  the  Hindoo  virgin,  and  her  child.  The  right 
hand  of  the  figure  makes  the  symbol  of  the  yoni  with  the 
forefinger  and  thumb,  the  rest  of  the  fingers  typifying  the 
triad.  In  the  palm  and  on  the  navel  is  a  lozenge, 
emblematic  of  woman.  The  child,  perhaps  Crishna,  equi- 
valent to  the  Egyptian  Horus  and  the  Christian  Jesus, 
bears  in  its  hand  one  of  the  many  emblems  of  the  Hnga,  and 
stands  upon  a  lotus.  The  monkey  introduced  into  the  group 
plays  the  same  part  as  the  cat,  cow,  lioness,  and  ape  in  the 
Egyptian  mythology,  being  emblematic  of  that  desire  which 
eventuates  in  the  production  of  offspring. 

PLATE   XV. 

Fig.  1,  the  cupola,  is  well  known  in  modern  Europe ;  it  is 
equally  so  in  Hindostan,  where  it  is  sometimes  accompanied 
by  pillars  of  a  peculiar  shape.  In  one  such  compound  the 
design  is  that  of  a  cupola,  supported  by  closely  placed  pillars, 
each  of  which  has  a  "  capital,"  resembling  "  the  glans  "  of 
physiologists  ;  in  the  centre  there  is  a  door,  wherein  a  nude 
female  stands,  resembling  in  all  respects  Figure  61,  except  in 
dress  and  the  presence  of  the  child.  This  was  copied 
by  the  late  Mr.  Sellon,  from  a  Buddhist  Dagopa  in  the 
Jumnar  Cave,  Bombay  Presidency,  a  tracing  of  his  sketch 
having  been  given  to  me  by  William  Simpson,  Esq.,  London. 

The  same  emblem  may  be  found  amongst  the  ancient 
Italians.  Whilst  I  was  staying  in  Malta  during  the  carnival 


PLATE    XIII 


A  WA 

IU  H         y/       (jt\ 

{-^.J 


PLATE    XIV. 


PLATE    XV. 


PLATE    XVI. 


19 

time  in  1872, 1  saw  in  all  directions  men  and  women  selling 
cakes  shaped  like  the  yoni  shown  in  Fig.  1.  These  sweet- 
meats had  no  special  name,  but  they  came  in  and  went  out 
with  the  carnival. 

Fig.  2  represents  Venus  standing  on  a  tortoise,  whose 
symbolic  import  will  be  seen  by  referring  to  Fig.  74,  infra. 
It  is  copied  from  Lajard,  Sur  le  Culte  de  Venus,  plate  iiia., 
fig.  5,  and  is  stated  by  him  to  be  a  drawing  of  an  Etruscan 
candelabrum,  existing  in  the  Royal  Museum  at  Berlin.  In 
his  account  of  Greece,  Pausanias  mentions  that  he  saw  one 
figure  of  Venus  standing  on  a  tortoise,  and  another  upon 
a  ram,  but  he  declines  to  give  the  reason  of  the  conjunction. 

PLATE  XVI. 

Is  a  representation  of  Siva,  taken  from  Moor's  Hindu  Pan- 
theon, plate  xiii.  Siva  is  supposed  to  be  the  oldest  of  the 
Indian  deities,  and  to  have  been  worshipped  by  the  abori- 
gines of  Hindostan,  before  the  Aryans  invaded  that  country. 
It  is  thought  that  the  Vedic  religion  opposed  this  degrading 
conception  at  the  first,  but  was  powerless  to  eradicate  it. 
Though  he  is  yet  the  most  popular  of  all  the  gods,  Siva  is 
venerated,  I  understand,  chiefly  by  the  vulgar.  Though  he 
personifies  the  male  principle,  there  is  not  anything  indecent 
in  pictorial  representations  of  him.  In  one  of  his  hands 
is  seen  the  trident,  one  of  the  emblems  of  the  masculine 
triad  ;  whilst  in  another  is  to  be  seen  an  oval  sistrum-shaped 
loop,  a  symbol  of  the  feminine  unit.  On  his  forehead  he 
bears  an  eye,  symbolic  of  the  Omniscient,  the  sun,  and  the 
union  of  the  sexes. 

As  it  has  been  doubted  by  some  readers,  whether  I  am 
justified  in  regarding  the  sistrum  as  a  female  emblem,  I 
append  here  a  quotation  from  Socrates'  Ecclesiastical  History, 
Bonn's  translation,  p.  281,  seq.  In  Rome,  in  the  early  time 
of  Theodosius,  "when  a  woman  was.  detected  in  adultery 
.  .  .  they  shut  her  up  in  a  narrow  brothel,  and  obliged 
her  to  prostitute  herself  in  a  most  disgusting  manner ;  causing 


little  bells  to  be  rung  at  the  time  ...  As  soon  as  the 
emperor  was  apprised  of  this  indecent  usage,  he  would  by  no 
means  tolerate  it;  but  having  ordered  the__Sis£r^  (for  so 
these  places  of  penal  prostitution  were  denominated)  to  be 
pulled  down,"  &c.  One  can  as  easily  see  why  a  female 
emblem  should  mark  a  brothel  in  Rome  as  a  male  symbol 
did  at  Pompeii. 


Figure  1. 

This  Figure  represents  Assyrian  priests  offering  in  the 
presence  of  what  is  supposed  to  be  Baal  —  or  the  representa- 
tive of  the  sun  god  and  of  the  grove.  The  first  is  typified  by 
the  eye,  with  wings  and  a  tail,  which  make  it  symbolic  of 
the  male  triad  and  the  female  unit.  The  eye,  with  the 
central  pupil,  is  in  itself  emblematic  of  the  same.  The 
grove  represents  mystically  le  verger  de  Cypris.  On  the 
right  stands  the  king ;  on  the  left  are  two  priests,  the  fore- 
most clothed  with  a  fish's  skin,  the  head  forming  the  mitre, 
thus  showing  the  origin  of  modern  Christian  bishops'  pecu- 
liar head-dress.  Arranged  about  the  figures  are,  the  sun ; 
a  bird,  perhaps  the  sacred  dove,  whose  note,  coa  or  coo,  has, 
in  the  Shemitic,  some  resemblance  to  an  invitation  to 
amorous  gratification ;  in  Latin  coi,  coite ;  the  oval,  symbol 
of  the  yoni ;  the  basket,  or  bag,  emblematic  of  the  scrotum, 
and  apparently  the  lotus.  The  trinity  and  unity  are  carried 
by  the  second  priest. 

Figure  2  is  copied  from  an  ancient  copper  vase,  covered 
with  Egyptian  hieroglyphic  characters,  found  at  Cairo,  and 


22 

figured  in  a  book  entitled  Explication  des  divers  monumens 
singuliers,  qui  out  rapport  a  la  religion  des  plus  anciens 


Figure  2. 

?,  par  le  R.  P.  Dom &  Paris,  1789.     The  group 

of  figures  represents  Isis  and  Horus  in  an  unusual  attitude. 
They  are  enclosed  in  a  framework  of  the  flowers  of  the 
Egyptian  bean,  or  of  the  lotus.  This  framework  may  be 
compared  to  the  Assyrian  "  grove,"  and  another  in  which  the 
Virgin  Mary  stands.  The  bell  was  of  old  a  symbol  of 
virginity,  for  Eastern  maidens  wore  them  until  marriage 
(see  Isa.  iii.  16).  The  origin  of  this  custom  was  the  desire 
that  every  maiden  should  have  at  her  marriage,  or  sale,  that 
which  is  spoken  of  in  the  Pentateuch  as  "  the  token  of 
virginity."  It  was  supposed  that  this  membrane,  technically 
called  "  the  hymen,"  might  be  broken  by  too  long  a  stride  in 
walking  or  running,  or  by  clambering  over  a  stile  or  wall. 
To  prevent  such  a  catastrophe,  a  light  chain  or  cord  was 
worn,  under  or  over  the  dress,  at  the  level  of  the  knees 
or  just  above.  Its  length  only  permitted  a  short  step  and  a 
mincing  gait.  Slight  bells  were  used  as  a  sort  of  ornament, 
and  when  the  bearer  was  walking  their  tinkling  was  a  sort  of 
proclamation  that  the  lady  who  bore  them  was  in  the  market 
as  a  virgin.  After  "the  flower"  had  been  plucked,  the  bells 


were  no  longer  of  use.  They  were  analogous  to  the  virgin 
snood  worn  on  the  head  of  Scotch  maidens.  Isis  bears  the 
horns  of  a  cow,  because  that  animal  is  equally  noted  for  its 
propensity  to  seek  the  male  and  its  care  to  preserve  the 
offspring.  As  the  bull  with  a  human  head,  so  a  human 
being  with  cow's  horns,  was  made  to  represent  a  deity.  The 
solar  orb  between  the  horns,  and  the  serpent  round  the  body, 
indicate  the  union  with  the  male ;  an  incongruous  conjunc- 
tion with  the  emblem  of  the  sacred  Virgin,  nevertheless  a 
very  common  one.  In  some  of  the  coins  pictured  by  B.  P. 
Knight,  in  Worship  of  Priapus,  etc.,  a  cow  caressing  her 
sucking  calf  replaces  Isis  and  Horus,  just  as  a  bull  on  other 
coins  replaces  Dionysus.  The  group  is  described  in  full  in 
Ancient  Faiths,  second  edition,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  63,  54. 


Figure  3. 


Figure  4 


Figures  3,  4,  are  taken  from  Ginsburg's  Kabbalah,  and 
illustrate  that  in  the  arrangement  of  "  potencies  "  two  unite, 
like  parents,  to  form  a  third.  Sometimes  we  see  also  how 
three  such  male  attributes  as  splendour,  firmness,  and 
solidity  join  with  beauty  to  form  the  mystic  arba,  the  trinity 
and  unity. 


Figure  6. 

Figures  5,  6,  are  copies  from  figures  found  in  Carthage 
and  in  Scotland,  from  Forbes  Leslie's  Early  Races  of 
Scotland,  vol.  i.,  plate  vi.,  p.  46  (London,  1866).  This 
book  is  one  to  which  the  reader's  attention  should  be  directed. 
The  amount  of  valuable  information  which  it  contains  is  very 
large,  and  it  is  classified  in  a  philosophical,  and,  we  may 
add,  attractive  manner.  The  figures  represent  the  arbor 
vita. 

Figure  7  is  from  Bonomi,  page  292,  Nineveh  and  its 
Palaces  (London,  1865).  It  apparently  represents  the 
mystic  yoni,  door,  or  delta ;  and  it  may  be  regarded  as 
an  earlier  form  of  the  framework  in  Plate  iv.  It  will  be 


25 

remarked,  by  those  learned  in   symbols,  that  the   outline 
of  the  hands  of  the  priests  who  are   nearest  to  the  figure 


Figure  7. 

is  a  suggestive  one,  being  analogous  to  the  figure  of  a  key 
and  its  shank,  whilst  those  who  stand  behind  these 
officers  present  the  pine  cone  and  bag,  symbolic  of 
Anu,  Hea,  and  their  residence.  It  is  to  be  noticed,  and 
once  for  all  let  us  assert  our  belief,  that  every  detail  in 
a  sculpture  relating  to  religion  has  a  signification ;  that  the 
first  right  hand  figure  carries  a  peculiarly  shaped  staff;  and 
that  the  winged  symbol  above  the  yoni  consists  of  a  male 
archer  in  a  winged  circle,  analagous  to  the  symbolic  bow, 
arrow,  and  target.  The  bow  was  an  emblem  amongst  the 
Romans,  and  arcum  tendere  was  equivalent  to  arrigere.  In 
the  Golden  Ass  of  Apuleius  we  find  the  metaphor  used  in 
his  account  of  his  dealings  with  amorous  frolicsome  Fotis, 
"  Ubi  primam  sagittam  saevi  cupidinis  in  ima  proecordia  mea 
delapsam  excepi,  arcum  meum  et  ipse  vigore  tetendi." 

Again,  we  find  in  Petronius — 

Astra  igitur  mea  mens  arcum  dum  tendit  in  ilia. 
Ex  imo  ad  summum  viva  sagitta  volat. 

Figures  8  to  14  are  representations  of  the  goddess 
mother,  the  virgin  and  child,  Ishtar  or  Astarte,  Mylitta, 
Ceres,  Rhea,  Venus,  Sacti,  Mary,  Yoni,  Juno,  Mama  Ocello, 


26 


etc.     Fig.  8   is   a   copy  of   the  deified  woman  or   celestial 
mother,  from  Idalium,  in  Cyprus.     Fig.  9  is  from  Egypt, 


Figure  8. 


Figure  9. 


and  is  remarkable  for  the  cow's  horns  (for  whose  signification 
see  Vol.  i.,  p.  54,  Ancient  Faiths,  second  edition),  which 
here  replace  the  lunar  crescent,  in  conjunction  with  the  sun, 
the  two  being  symbolic  of  hermaphroditism,  whilst  above  is  a 
seat  or  throne,  emblematic  of  royalty.  The  two  figures  are 
copied  from  Rawlinson's  Herodotus,  vol.  ii.,  p.  447,  in  an 
essay  by  Sir  Gardiner  Wilkinson,  wherein  other  illustrations  of 
the  celestial  virgin  are  given.  Fig.  10  is  a  copy  of  plate  59, 
Moor's  Hindu  Pantheon,  wherein  it  is  entitled,  "  Crishna 
nursed  by  Devaki,  from  a  highly  finished  picture."  In  the 
account  of  Crishna' s  birth  and  early  history,  as  given  by 
Moor  (Op.  Cit.,  pp.  197,  et  seq.),  there  is  as  strong  a 
resemblance  to  the  story  of  Christ  as  the  picture  here 
described  has  to  papal  paintings  of  Mary  and  Jesus.  Fig. 
11  is  an  enlarged  representation  of  Devaki.  Fig.  12  is 
copied  from  Rawlinson's  Ancient  Monarchies,  vol.  iii., 


27 

p.  899.    Fig.  13  is  a  figure  of  the  mother  and  child  found 
in  ancient  Etruria  at  Volaterrae  ;  it  is  depicted  in  Fabretti's 


Fignre  10. 

Italian  Glossary,  plate  xxvi.,  figure  349.  It  is  described  as 
a  marble  statue,  now  in  the  Guarnacci  Museum.  The 
letters,  which  are  Etruscan,  and  read  from  right  to  left,  may 
be  thus  rendered  into  the  ordinary  Latin  characters  from 
left  to  right,  MI :  GANA :  L ARTHIAS  Z ANL :  VELKINEI : 
ME  -  SE. ;  the  translation  I  take  to  be,  "  the  votive  offering 
of  Larthias  (a  female)  of  Zanal,  ( =  Zancle  =  Messana  in 
Sicily),  (wife)  of  Velcinius,  in  the  sixth  month."  It  is 
uncertain  whether  we  are  to  regard  the  statue  as  an  effigy  of 
the  celestial  mother  and  child,  or  as  the  representation 
of  some  devout  lady  who  has  been  spared  during  her  preg- 
nancy, her  parturition,  or  from  some  disease  affecting  herself 


and  child.  Analogy  would  lead  us  to  infer  that  the  Queen  of 
Heaven  is  intended.  Figure  14  is  copied  from  Hislop's  Two 
Babylons ;  it  represents  Indranee,  the  wife  of  Indra  or 
Indur,  and  is  to  be  found  in  Indur  Subba,  the  south  front  of 
the  Caves  of  Ellora,  Asiatic  Researches,  vol.  vi.,  p.  393. 


Figure  11. 


Figure  12. 


Indra  is  equivalent  to  Jupiter  Tonans,  and  is  represented  as 
seated  on  an  elephant ;  "  the  waterspout  is  the  trunk  of  this 
elephant,  and  the  iris  is  his  bow,  which  it  is  not  auspicious 
to  point  out,"  Moor's  Pantheon,  p.  260.  He  is  represented 
very  much  as  if  he  were  a  satyr,  Moor's  Pantheon,  p.  264  ; 
but  his  wife  is  always  spoken  of  as  personified  chastity  and 
propriety.  Indranee  is  seated  on  a  lioness,  which  replaces 
the  cow  of  Isis,  the  former  resembling  the  latter  in  her 
feminine  and  maternal  instincts. 

Figures  15,  16,  are  copies  of  Diana  of  the  Ephesians ; 
the   first   is   from   Hislop,    who    quotes    Kitto's   Illustrated 


29 


Commentary,  vol.  v.,  p.  250;  the  second  from  Higgins' 
Anacalypsis,  who  quotes  Montfau^on,  plate  47.  I  remember 
to  have  seen  a  figure  similar  to  these  in  the  Royal  Museum 


Figure  13. 


Figure  14. 


at  Naples.  The  tower  upon  the  head  represents  virginity 
(see  Ancient  Faiths,  second  edition,  Vol.  i.,  p.  144) ;  the 
position  of  the  hand  forms  a  cross  with  the  body:  the 
numerous  breasts  indicate  abundance ;  the  black  colour  of 
Figure  16  indicates  the  ordinary  tint  of  the  feminine  lanugo, 
the  almost  universal  colour  of  the  hair  of  the  Orientals 
being  black  about  the  yoni  as  well  as  on  the  head ;  or, 
as  some  mythologists  imagine,  "  Night,"  who  is  said  to  be 
one  of  the  mothers  of  creation.  (See  Ancient  Faiths, 
second  edition,  Vol.  n.,  p.  382.)  The  emblems  upon  the 


30 


body  indicate  the  attributes  or  symbols   of  the   male  and 
female  creators. 


Figure  15. 


Figure   16. 


Figure  17  is  a  complicated  sign  of  the  yoni,  delta, 
or  door  of  life.  It  is  copied  from  Bonomi's  Palaces  of 
Nineveh,  p.  809. 


31 


Figure  17. 


Figure  18  signifies  the  same  thing ;  the  priests  adoring 
it  present  the  pine  cone  and  basket,  symbolic  of  Anu,  Hea, 


and  their  residence.  Compare  the  object  of  the  Assyrian 
priest's  adoration  with  that  adored  by  a  Christian  divine,  in  a 
subsequent  figure.  (See  Ancient  Faiths,  second  edition, 
Vol.  i.,  p.  83,  et  seq.,  and  Vol.  n.,  p.  648.) 

Figure  19  is  copied  from  Lajard  (Op.  Cit.),  plate  xxii., 
fig.  5.  It  is  the  impression  of  an  ancient  gem,  and  repre- 
sents a  man  clothed  with  a  fish,  the  head  being  the  mitre ; 
priests  thus  clothed,  often  bearing  in  their  hand  the  mystic 


bag,  are  common  in   Mesopotamian  sculptures;   two   such 
are  figured  on  Figs.  63,  64,  infra.    In  almost  every  instance  it 


Figure  19. 

will  be  recognised  that  the   fish's   head  is  represented  as 
of  the  same  form  as  the  modern  bishop's  mitre. 

Figure  20  represents  two  equilateral  triangles,  infolded  so 


v 

Figure  20. 


as  to  make   a  six-rayed  star,  the  idea  embodied  being  the 
androgyne  nature  of  the  deity,  the  pyramid  with  its  apex 


83 

upwards  signifying  the  male,  that  with  the  apex  downwards 
the  female.  The  line  at  the  central  junction  is  not  always 
seen,  but  the  shape  of  the  three  parallel  bars  reappears 
in  Hindoo  frontlet  signs  in  conjunction  with  a  delta  or  door, 
shaped  like  the' "grove"  in  Fig.  17;  thus  showing  that  the 
lines  serve  also  to  indicate  the  masculine  triad.  The  two 
triangles  are  also  understood  as  representing  fire,  which 
mounts  upwards,  and  water,  which  flows  downwards.  Fire 
again  is  an  emblem  of  the  sun,  and  water  of  the  passive  or 
yielding  element  in  nature.  Fire  also  typifies  Eros  or  Cupid. 
Hymen  is  always  represented  carrying  a  torch.  It  is  also 
symbolic  of  love;  e.g.,  Southey  writes — 

"  But  love  is  indestructible, 
Its  holy  flame  for  ever  burneth  ; 
From  heaven  it  came, 
To  heaven  returneth." 

And  again,  Scott  writes — 

"  It  is  not  phantasy's  hot  fire 
Whose  wishes,  soon  as  granted,  fly,"  &c. 

Figures  21,  22,  are  other  indications  of  the  same  funda- 
mental idea.     The  first  represents  Nebo,  the  Nahbi,  or  the 


Figure  21.  Figure  22. 

navel,  characterised  by  a  ring  with  a  central  mound.  The 
second  represents  the  circular  and  upright  stone  so  common 
in  Oriental  villages.  The  two  indicate  the  male  and  female  ; 
and  a  medical  friend  resident  in  India  has  told  me,  that  he 
has  seen  women  mount  upon  the  lower  stone  and  seat  them- 
selves reverently  upon  the  upright  one,  having  first  adjusted 
their  dress  so  as  to  prevent  it  interfering  with  their  perfect 


84 

contact  with  the  miniature  obelise.  During  the  sitting, 
a  short  prayer  seemed  flitting  over  the  worshippers'  lips,  but 
the  whole  affair  was  soon  over. 

Whilst  upon  this  subject,  it  is  right  to  call  attention 
to  the  fact  that  animate  as  well  as  inorganic  representatives 
of  the  Creator  have  been  used  by  women  with  the  same 
definite  purpose.  The  dominant  idea  is  that  contact  with 
the  emblem,  a  mundane  representative  of  the  deity,  of  itself 
gives  a  blessing.  Just  as  many  Hindoo  females  seek  a 
benefaction  by  placing  their  own  yoni  upon  the  consecrated 
linga,  so  a  few  regard  intercourse  with  certain  high  priests  of 
the  Maharajah  sect  as  incarnations  of  Vishnu,  and  pay  for 
the  privilege  of  being  spouses  of  the  god.  In  Egypt,  where 
the  goat  was  a  sacred  animal,  there  were  some  religious 
women  who  sought  good  luck  by  uniting  themselves  there- 
with. We  have  heard  of  British  professors  of  religion 
endeavouring  to  persuade  their  penitents  to  procure  purity  by 
what  others  would  call  defilement  and  disgrace.  And  the 
"cord  of  St.  Francis"  replaces  the  stone  "linga."  Some- 
times with  this  "  cord  "  the  rod  is  associated  ;  and  those  who 
have  read  the  trial  of  Father  Gerard,  for  his  seduction  of 
Miss  Cadiere  under  a  saintly  guise,  will  know  that  Christian- 
ity does  not  always  go  hand  in  hand  with  propriety. 

With  the  Hindoo  custom  compare  that  which  was  done 
by  Liber  on  the  grave  of  Prosumnus  (Arnobius  adversus 
Oentes,  translated  by  Bryce  and  Campbell,  T.  and  T.  Clark, 
Edinburgh,  pp.  252,  253),  which  is  far  too  gross  to  be 
described  here  ;  and  as  regards  the  sanctity  of  a  stone  whose 
top  had  been  anointed  with  oil,  see  first  sentence  of  para- 
graph 39,  ibid,  page  31.  The  whole  book  will  well  repay 
perusal. 

Figures  23,  24,  are  discs,  circles,  aureoles,  and  wheels,  to 
represent  the  sun.  Sometimes  the  emblem  of  this  luminary 
is  associated  with  rays,  as  in  Plate  iii.,  Fig.  3,  and  in 
another  Figure  elsewhere.  Occasionally,  as  in  some  of  the 
ancient  temples  in  Egypt  discovered  in  1854,  the  sun's  rays 


85 


are  represented  by  lines  terminating  in  hands.  Sometimes 
one  or  more  of  these  contain  objects  as  if  they  were  gifts 
sent  by  the  god ;  amongst  other  objects,  the  crux  ansata  is 
shown  conspicuously.  In  a  remarkable  plate  in  the  Transac- 
tions of  the  Royal  Society  of  Literature  (second  series, 
vol.  i.,  p.  140),  the  sun  is  identified  with  the  serpent ;  its 
rays  terminate  in  hands,  some  holding  the  handled  cross  or 
tau,  and  before  it  a  queen,  apparently,  worships.  She  is 
offering  what  seems  to  be  a  lighted  tobacco  pipe,  the  bowl 
being  of  the  same  shape  as  that  commonly  used  in  Turkey ; 
from  this  a  wavy  pyramid  of  flame  rises.  Behind  her,  two 
female  slaves  elevate  the  sistrum  ;  whilst  before  her,  and 
apparently  between  herself  and  her  husband,  are  two  altars 


Figure  23. 


Figure  24. 


occupied  by  round  cakes  and  one  crescent-shaped  emblem. 
The  aureole  was  used  in  ancient  days  by  Babylonian  artists  or 
sculptors,  when  they  wished  to  represent  a  being,  apparently 
human,  as  a  god.  The  same  plan  has  been  adopted  by  the 
moderns,  who  have  varied  the  symbol  by  representing  it  now 
as  a  golden  disc,  now  as  a  terrestrial  orb,  again  as  a  rayed 
sphere.  A  writer,  when  describing  a  god  as  a  man,  can  say 
that  the  object  he  sketches  is  divine ;  but  a  painter  thinks 
too  much  of  his  art  to  put  on  any  of  his  designs,  "  this 
woman  is  a  goddess,"  or  "this  creature  is  a  god";  he 
therefore  adds  an  aureole  round  the  head  of  his  subject,  and 
thus  converts  a  very  ordinary  man,  woman,  or  child  into  a 


36 

deity  to  be  reverenced ;  modern  artists  thus  proving  them- 
selves to  be  far  more  skilful  in  depicting  the  Almighty  than 
the  carpenters  and  goldsmiths  of  the  time  of  Isaiah  (xl.  18, 
19,  xli.  6,  7,  xliv.  9-19),  who  used  no  such  contrivance. 

Figure  24  is  another  representation  of  the  solar  disc,  in 
which  it  is  marked  with  a  cross.  This  probably  originated 
in  the  wheel  of  a  chariot  having  four  spokes,  and  the 
sun  being  likened  to  a  charioteer.  The  chariots  of  the  sun 
are  referred  to  in  2  Kings  xxiii.  11  as  idolatrous  emblems. 
Of  these  the  wheel  was  symbolic.  The  identification  of  this 
emblem  with  the  sun  is  very  easy,  for  it  has  repeatedly  been 
found  in  Mesopotamian  gems  in  conjunction  with  the  moon. 
In  a  very  remarkable  one  figured  in  Rawlinson's  Ancient 
Monarchies,  vol.  ii.,  p.  249,  the  cross  is  contrived  as  five 
circles.  It  is  remarkable  that  in  many  papal  pictures  the 
wafer  and  the  cup  are  depicted  precisely  as  the  sun  and 
moon  in  conjunction.  See  Pugin's  Architectural  Glossary, 
plate  iv.,  fig.  5. 

Figures  25,  26,  27,  are   simply  varieties  of   the  solar 


Figure  26. 


Figure  27. 


wheel,  intended  to  represent  the  idea  of  the  sun  and  moon, 
the  mystic  triad  and  unit,  the  "arba,"  or  four.     In  Figure 


37 

26,  the  mural  ornament  is  introduced,  that  being  symbolic  of 
feminine  virginity.  For  explanation  of  Figure  27,  see 
Figures  35,  36. 

Figure  28  is  copied  from  Lajard,  Op.  Cit.,  plate  xiv.  F. 
That  author  states  that  he  has  taken  it  from  a  drawing  of  an 
Egyptian  stele,  made  by  M.  E.  Prisse  (Monum.  Egypt., 
plate  xxxvii.),  and  that  the  original  is  in  the  British 


Figure  28. 

Museum.  There  is  an  imperfect  copy  of  it  in  Rawlinson's 
Herodotus,  vol.  ii.  The  original  is  too  indelicate  to  be 
represented  fully.  Isis,  the  central  figure,  is  wholly  nude, 
with  the  exception  of  her  head-dress,  and  neck  and  breast 
ornaments.  In  one  hand  she  holds  two  blades  of  corn 
apparently,  whilst  in  the  other  she  has  three  lotus  flowers, 
two  being  egg-shaped,  but  the  central  one  fully  expanded  ; 
with  these,  which  evidently  symbolise  the  mystic  triad, 
is  associated  a  circle  emblematic  of  the  yoni,  thus  indicating 
the  fourfold  creator.  Isis  stands  upon  a  lioness ;  on  one 
side  of  her  stands  a  clothed  male  figure,  holding  in  one  hand 
the  crux  ansata,  and  in  the  other  an  upright  spear.  On  the 
opposite  side  is  a  male  figure  wholly  nude,  like  the  goddess, 
save  his  head-dress  and  collar,  the  ends  of  which  are 
arranged  so  as  to  form  a  cross.  His  hand  points  to  a 
lum  ;  behind  him  is  a  covert  reference  to  the  triad, 


whilst  in  front  Osiris  offers  undisguised  homage  to  Isis.    The 
head-dress  of  th.e  goddess  appears  to  be  a  modified  form  of 


Figure  32. 


Figure  81. 

the  crescent  moon  inverted.     It  is  not  exclusively  Egyptian, 


as  it  has  been  found  in  conjunction  with  other  emblems  on 
an  Assyrian  obelise  of  Phallic  form. 

Figures  29,  30,  31,  32,  represent  the  various  triangles 
and  their  union,  which  have  been  adopted  in  worship. 
Figure  29  is  said  to  represent  fire,  which  amongst  the  ancient 
Persians  was  depicted  as  a  cone,  whilst  the  figure  inverted 
represents  water. 

Figure   33   is   an   ancient   Hindoo   emblem,    called    Sri 


sw 


lantra.  The  circle  represents  the  world,  in  which  the  living 
exist ;  the  triangle  pointing  upwards  shows  the  male  creator ; 
and  the  triangle  with  the  apex  downwards  the  female ;  dis- 
tinct, yet  united.  These  have  a  world  within  themselves,  in 
which  the  male  is  uppermost.  In  the  central  circle  the  image 
to  be  worshipped  is  placed.  When  used,  the  figure  is  placed 
on  the  ground,  with  Brahma  to  the  east,  and  Laksmi  to  the 


A 


40 

west.  Then  a  relic  of  any  saint,  or  image  of  Buddha,  like  a 
modern  papal  crucifix,  is  added,  and  the  shrine  for  worship  is 
complete.  It  has  now  been  adopted  in  Christian  churches 
and  Freemasons'  lodges. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  male  emblem  points  to  the 
rising  sun,  and  the  female  triangle  points  to  the  setting  sun, 
when  the  earth  seems  to  receive  the  god  into  her  couch. 

Figure  34  is  a  very  ancient  Hindoo  emblem,  whose  real 
signification  I  am  unable  to  divine.  It  is  used  in  calcula- 
tion ;  it  forms  the  basis  of  some  game,  and 
it  is  a  sign  of  vast  import  in  sacti  worship. 
A  coin,  bearing  this  figure  upon  it,  and 
having  a  central  cavity  with  the  Etruscan 
letters  SUPEN  placed  one  between  each  two 
of  the  angles,  was  found  in  a  fictile  urn, 
Figure  34.  at  VolaterrsB,  and  is  depicted  in  Fabretti's 
L'alian  Glossary,  plate  xxvi.,  fig.  858,  bis  a.  As  the  coin  is 
round,  the  reader  will  see  that  these  letters  may  be  read  as 
Supen,  Upens,  Pensu,  Ensup,  or  Nsupe.  A  search  through 
Fabretti's  Lexicon  affords  no  clue  to  any  meaning  except  for 
the  third.  There  seems,  indeed,  strong  reason  to  believe 
that  pensu  was  the  Etruscan  form  of  the  Pali  panca,  the 
Sanscrit  pdnch,  the  Bengalli  pdnch,  and  the  Greek  penta, 
i.  e.y  five.  Five,  certainly,  would  be  an"  appropriate  word  for 
the'  pentangle.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  avoid  speculating 
upon  the  value  of  this  fragment  of  archaeological  evidence  in 
support  of  the  idea  that  the  Greeks,  Aryans,  and  Etruscans 
had  something  in  common ;  but  into  the  question  it  would 
be  unprofitable  to  enter  here. 

But,  although  declining  to  enter  upon  this  wide  field  of 
inquiry,  I  would  notice  that  whilst  searching  Fabretti's 
Glossary  my  eye  fell  upon  the  figure  of  an  equilateral 
triangle  with  the  apex  upwards,  depicted  plate  xliii.,  fig. 
2440  ter.  The  triangle  is  of  brass,  and  was  found  in  the 
territory  of  the  Falisci.  It  bears  a  rude  representation  of 
the  outlines  of  the  soles  of  two  human  feet,  in  this  respect 


41 


resembling  a  Buddhist  emblem  ;  and  there  is  on  its  edge  an 
inscription  which  may  be  rendered  thus  in  Roman  letters, 
KAVI :  TERTINEL  POSTIKNU,  which  probably  signifies 
"  Gavia,  the  wife  of  Tertius,  offered  it."  The  occurrence  of 
two  Hindoo  symbols  in  ancient  Italy  is  very  remarkable. 
It  must,  however,  be  noticed  that  similar  symbols  have  been 
found  on  ancient  sculptured  stones  in  Ireland  and  Scotland. 
There  may  be  no  emblematic  ideas  whatever  conveyed  by  the 
design  ;  but  when  the  marks  appear  on  Gnostic  gems,  they 
are  supposed  to  indicate  death,  i.  e.,  the  impressions  left 
by  the  feet  of  the  individual  as  he  springs  from  earth  to 
heaven. 

Figures  35,  36,  are  Maltese  crosses.     In  a  large  book  of 


Figure  35. 

Figure  36. 

Etrurian  antiquities,  which  came  casually  under  my  notice 
about  twenty  years  ago,  when  I  was  endeavouring  to  master 
the  language,  theology,  etc.,  of  the  Etruscans,  but  whose 
name,  and  other  particulars  of  which,  I  cannot  now  remem- 
ber ;  I  found  depicted  two  crosses,  made  up  of  four  mas- 
culine triads,  each  asher  being  erect,  and  united  to  its 
fellows  by  the  gland,  forming  a  central  diamond,  emblem  of 
the  yoni.  In  one  instance,  the  limbs  of  the  cross  were  of 
equal  length  ;  in  the  other,  one  asher  was  three  times  as 
long  as  the  others.  A  somewhat  similar  cross,  but  one 
united  with  the  circle,  was  found  some  time  ago  near  Naples. 
It  is  made  of  gold,  and  has  apparently  been  used  as  an 
amulet  and  suspended  to  the  neck.  It  is  figured  in  plate  35 
of  An  Essay  on  the  Worship  of  the  Generative  Powers 


42 

during  the  Middle  Ages  (London,  privately  printed,  1865). 
It  may  be  thus  described  :  the  centre  of  the  circle  is 
occupied  by  four  oblate  spheres  arranged  like  a  square ;  from 
the  salient  curves  of  each  of  these  springs  a  yoni  (shaped  as 
in  Figure  59),  with  the  point  outwards,  thus  forming  a 
cross,  each  ray  of  which  is  an  egg  and  fig.  At  each  junction 
of  the  ovoids  a  yoni  is  inserted  with  the  apex  inwards,  whilst 
from  the  broad  end  arise  four  ashers,  which  project  beyond 
the  shield,  each  terminating  in  a  few  golden  bead-like  drops. 
The  whole  is  a  graphic  natural  representation  of  the  intimate 
union  of  the  male  and  female,  sun  and  moon,  cross  and 
circle,  Ouranos  and  Ge.  The  same  idea  is  embodied  in 
Figure  27,  p.  36,  but  in  that  the  mystery  is  deeply  veiled,  in 
that  the  long  arms  of  the  cross  represent  the  sun,  or  male, 
indicated  by  the  triad ;  the  short  ones,  the  moon,  or  the 
female  (see  Plate  xi.  Fig.  4). 

The  Maltese  cross,  a  Phoenician  emblem,  was  discovered 
cut  on  a  rock  in  the  island  from  which  it  takes  its  name. 
Though  cruciform,  it  had  nothing  Christian  about  it ;  for, 
like  the  Etruscan  ones  referred  to  above,  it  consisted  of  four 
lingas  united  together  by  the  heads,  the  "eggs"  being  at  the 
outside.  It  was  an  easy  thing  for  an  unscrupulous  priest- 
hood to  represent  this  "  invention  "  of  the  cross  as  a  miracle, 
and  to  make  it  presentable  to  the  eyes  of  the  faithful  by 
leaving  the  outlines  of  Anu  and  Hea  incomplete.  Some- 
times this  cross  is  figured  as  four  triangles  meeting  at  the 
points,  which  has  the  same  meaning.  Generally,  however, 
the  Church  (as  may  be  seen  by  a  reference  to  Pugin's 
Glossary  of  Ecclesiastical  Ornament)  adopts  the  use  of  crosses 
where  the  inferior  members  of  the  trinity  are  more  or  less 
central,  as  in  our  Plate  xi.,  Figs.  2,  3,  and  as  in  the  Figures 
40,  41,  42,  infra.  When  once  a  person  knows  the  true 
origin  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity — one  which  is  far  too 
improper  to  have  been  adopted  by  the  writers  of  the  New 
Testament — it  is  impossible  not  to  recognise  in  the  signs 
which  are  symbolic  of  it  the  thing  which  is  signified. 


43 

It  may  readily  be  supposed  that  those  who  have  know- 
ledge of  the  heathenish  origin  of  many  of  the  cherished 
doctrines  of  the  so-called  Christian  church,  cannot  remain 
enthusiastic  members  of  her  communion ;  and  it  is  equally 
easy  for  the  enlightened  philosopher  to  understand  why  such 
persons  are  detested  and  abused  by  the  ignorant,  and 
charged  with  being  freethinkers,  sceptics,  or  atheists. 
Sciolism  is  ever  intolerant,  and  theological  hatred  is  gene- 
rally to  be  measured  by  the  mental  incapacity  of  those  who 
indulge  in  the  luxury.  But  no  amount  of  abuse  can  reduce 
the  intrinsic  value  of  facts.  Nor  will  the  most  fiery  persecu- 
tion demonstrate  that  the  religion  of  Christ,  as  it  appears  in 
our  churches  and  cathedrals,  especially  if  they  are  papal,  is 
not  tainted  by  a  mass  of  paganism  of  disgusting  origin. 

Figure   37   is   copied   from   the   Journal  of  the  Royal 


37. 

Asiatic  Society,  vol.  xviii.,  p  393,  plate  4.  It  is  a  Buddhist 
emblem,  and  represents  the  same  idea  under  different 
aspects.  Each  limb  of  the  cross  represents  the  fascinum  at 
right  angles  with  the  body,  and  presented  towards  a  barley- 
corn, one  of  the  symbols  of  the  yoni.  Each  limb  is  marked 
by  the  same  female  emblem,  and  terminates  with  the  triad 


44 


triangle ;  beyond  this  again  is  seen  the  conjunction  of  the 
sun  and  moon.  The  whole  therefore  represents  the  mystic 
arba,  the  creative  four,  by  some  called  Thor's  hammer. 
Copies  of  a  cross  similar  to  this  have  been  recently  found  by 
Dr.  Schliemann  in  a  very  ancient  city,  buried  under  the 
remains  of  two  others,  which  he  identifies  as  the  Troy  of 
Homer's  Iliad. 

Figures  38  to  42  are  developments  of  the  triad  triangle, 
or  trinity.     If  the  horizontal  limb  on  the  free  end  of  the  arm 


++ 


Figure  38. 


Figure 


Figure  41. 


Figure  42. 


Figure  40. 

were  to  be  prolonged  to  twice  its  length,  the  most  obtuse 
would  recognise  Asher,  and  the  inferior  or  lower  members 
of  the  "triune." 

Figure  43  is  by  Egyptologists  called  the  '  symbol  of  life.' 
It  is  also  called  the  '  handled  cross,'  or  crux 
ansata.     It  represents  the   male   triad   and 
Figure  43.         the    female    unit,    under    a    decent    form. 
There  are  few  symbols  more  commonly  met  with  in  Egyp- 


Figure  44. 

Figure  45. 

tian  art  than  this.     In  some  remarkable  sculptures,  where 


45 

the  sun's  rays  are  represented  as  terminating  in  hands,  the 
offerings  which  these  bring  are  many  a  crux  ansata, 
emblematic  of  the  truth  that  a  fruitful  union  is  a  gift  from 
the  deity. 

Figures  44,  45,  are  ancient  designs,  in  which  the  male 
and  female  elements  are  more  disguised  than  is  usual.  In 
Fig.  44  the  woman  is  indicated  by  the  dolphin. 

Figures  46,  47,       _  are  representatives   of 

the    ancient    male    J  L  *\^   ^&^>  adopted  by  mo- 

derns to  symbolise    v«  J  if      the  Trinity. 

Figure  46.       Figure  47. 

Figures  48,  49,  represent  the  trefoil  which  was  used  by 


Figure  49. 


Figure  48. 

the  ancient  Hindoos  as  emblematic  of  the  celestial  triad,  and 
adopted  by  modern  Christians.  It  will  be  seen  that  from 
one  stem  arise  three  curiously-shaped  segments,  each  of 
which  is  supposed  to  resemble  the  male  scrotum,  "  purse," 
"  bag,"  or  "  basket." 

Figure  50  is  copied  from  Lajard,  Culte  de  Venus,  plate  i., 
fig.  .2.  He  states  that  it  is  from  a  gem  cylinder  in  the 
British  Museum.  It  represents  a  male  and  female  figure 
dancing  before  the  mystic  palm-tree,  into  whose  signification 
we  need  not  enter  beyond  saying  that  it  is  a  symbol  of 
Asher.  Opposite  to  a  particular  part  of  the  figures  is  to  be 


46 


seen  a  diamond,  or  oval,  and  a  fleur  de  lys,  or  symbolic 
triad.     This  gem  is  peculiarly  valuable,  as  it  illustrates  in  a 


Figure  50. 

graphic  manner  the  meaning  of  the  emblems  in  question, 
and  how  "  the  lilies  of  France  "  had  a  Pagan  origin. 


Fignre  59. 


Figure  60. 


47 


Figures  51  to  60  are  various  representations  of  the  union 
of  the  four,  the  arba,  the  androgyne,  or  the  linga-yoni. 

Figure  61.  In  modern  Christian  art  this 
symbol  is  called  vesica  piscis,  and  is  sometimes 
surrounded  with  rays.  It  commonly  serves  as 
a  sort  of  framework  in  which  female  saints  are 
placed,  who  are  generally  the  representatives  of 
the  older  Juno,  Ceres,  Diana,  Venus,  or  other 
impersonations  of  the  feminine  element  in  crea- 
tion. We  should  not  feel  obliged  to  demon-  Figure  61. 
strate  the  truth  of  this  assertion  if  decency  permitted  us  to 
reproduce  here  designs  which  naughty  youths  so  frequently 
chalk  upon  walls  to  the  disgust  of  the  proper  part  of  the 
community.  We  must,  therefore,  have  resort  to  a  religious 
book,  and  in  a  subsequent  figure  demonstrate  the  meaning 
of  the  symbol  unequivocally. 

Figure  62  represents  one  of  the  forms  assumed  by  the 


sistrum   of  Isis. 


Figure  62. 

Sometimes  the  instrument  is  oval,   and 


48 


occasionally  it  terminates  below  in  a  horizontal  line,  instead 
of  in  an  acute  angle.  The  inquirer  can  very  readily  recog- 
nise in  the  emblem  the  symbol  of  the  female  creator.  If  there 
should  be  any  doubt  in  his  mind,  he  will  be  satisfied  after  a 
reference  to  Maffei's  Gemme  Antiche  Figurate  (Rome,  1707), 
vol.  ii.,  plate  61,  wherein  Diana  of  the  Ephesians  is  depicted 
as  having  a  body  of  the  exact  shape  of  the  sistrum  figured  in 
Payne  Knight's  work  on  the  remains  of  the  worship  of 
Priapus,  etc.  The  bars  across  the  sistrum  show  that  it 
denotes  a  pure  virgin  (see  Ancient  Faiths,  second  edition, 
Vol.  ii.,  pp.  743-746).  On  its  handle  is  seen  the  figure  of 
a  cat — a  sacred  animal  amongst  the  Egyptians,  for  the  same 
reason  that  Isis  was  figured  sometimes  as  a  cow — viz.,  for  its 
salacity  and  its  love  for  its  offspring. 


Figure  64. 


49 


Figures  63  to  66  are  all  drawn  from  Assyrian  sources. 


Figure  65. 

The  central  figure,  which  is  probably  the 
biblical  "  grove,"  represents  the  delta,  or 
female  "door."  To  it  the  attendant 
genii  offer  the  pine  cone  and  basket. 
The  signification  of  these  is  explained 
subsequently.  I  was  unable  at  first  to 
quote  any  authority  to  demonstrate  that 
the  pine  cone  was  a  distinct  masculine 
symbol,  but  now  the  reader  may  be 
referred  to  Maffei,  Gemme  Antiche  Figu- 
rate  (Rome,  1708),  where,  in  vol.  iii., 
plate  8,  he  will  see  a  Venus  Tirsigera.  The  goddess  is 
nude,  and  carries  in  her  hand  the  tripliform  arrow,  emblem 
of  the  male  triad,  whilst  in  the  other  she  bears  a  thyrsus, 
terminating  in  a  pine  or  fir  cone.  Now  this  cone  and  stem 
are  carried  in  the  Bacchic  festivities,  and  can  be  readily 
recognised  as  virga  cum  ovo.  Sometimes  the  thyrsus  is 
replaced  by  ivy  leaves,  which,  like  the  fig,  are  symbolic  of 
the  triple  creator.  Occasionally  the  thyrsus  was  a  lance  or 
pike,  round  which  vine  leaves  and  berries  were  clustered ; 
Bacchus  cum  vino  being  the  companion  of  Venus  cum  cerere. 
But  a  stronger  confirmation  of  my  views  may  be  found  in  a 
remarkable  group  (see  Fig.  124  infra).  This  is  entitled  Sacri- 
fizio  di  Priapo,  and  represents  a  female  offering  to  Priapus. 
The  figure  of  the  god  stands  upon  a  pillar  of  three  stones, 
D 


50 


and  it  bears  a  thyrsus  from  which  depend  two  ribbons.  The 
devotee  is  accompanied  by  a  boy,  who  carries  a  pine-  or  fir- 
cone in  his  hand,  and  a  basket  on  his  head,  in  which  may  be 
recognised  a  male  effigy.  In  Figure  64  the  position  of  the 
advanced  hand  of  each  of  the  priests  nearest  to  the  grove  is 
very  suggestive  to  the  physiologist.  It  resembles  one  limb 
of  the  Buddhist  cross,  Fig.  37,  supra.  The  finger  or  thumb 
when  thus  pointed  are  figurative  of  Asher,  in  a  horizontal 
position,  with  Anu  or  Hea  hanging  from  one  end.  Figure  65 
is  explained  similarly.  It  is  to  be  noticed  that  a  door  is 
adopted  amongst  modern  Hindoos  as  an  emblem  of  the  sacti 
(see  Figs.  152,  153,  infra). 

My  friend  Mr.  Newton,  who  has  taken  great  interest  in 
the  subject  of  symbolism,  regards  these  "groves"  as  not 
being  simply  emblems  of  the  yoni,  but  of  the  union  of  that 
part  with  the  lingam,  or  mystic  palm  tree.  As  his  ideas  are 
extremely  ingenious,  and  his  theory  perfect,  I  have  requested 
him  to  introduce  them  at  the  end  of  this  work. 

Figures  67,  68,  69,  are  fancy  sketches  intended  to  repre- 


Fifiure  67 


Figure 


Figure  69. 

sent  the  "  sacred  shields "  spoken  of  in  Jewish  and  other 
history.     The  last  is  drawn  from  memory,  and  represents  a 


51 

Templar's  shield.     According  to  the  method  in  which  the 
shield  is  viewed,  it  appears  like  the  os  tincce  or  the  navel. 
Figures  70,  71,  represent  the  shape  of  the  sistrum  of 


Figure  70.  Figure  71. 

Isis,  the  fruit  of  the  fig,  and  the  yoni.  When  a  garment  of 
this  shape  is  made  and  worn,  it  becomes  the  "  pallium " 
donned  alike  by  the  male  and  female  individuals  consecrated 
to  Roman  worship. 

King,  in  his  Ancient  Gnostics,  remarks  :  "  The  circle  of 
the  sun  is  the  navel,  which  marks  the  natural  position  of  the 
womb  —  the  navel  being  considered  in  the  microcosm  as 
corresponding  to  the  sun  in  the  universe,  an  idea  more  fully 
exemplified  in  the  famous  hallucination  of  the  Greek  ancho- 
rites touching  the  mystical  'Light  of  Tabor,'  which  was 
revealed  to  the  devotee  after  a  fast  of  many  days,  all  the  time 
staring  fixedly  upon  the  region  of  the  navel,  whence  at 
length  this  light  streamed  as  from  a  focus."  Pages  153,  154. 

Figures  72,  73,  represent  an  ancient  Christian  bishop, 
and  a  modern  nun  wearing  the  emblem  of  the  female  sex. 
In  the  former,  said  (in  Old  England  Pictorially  Illustrated, 
by  Knight)  to  be  a  drawing  of  St.  Augustine,  the  amount  of 
symbolism  is  great.  The  "  nimbus "  and  the  tonsure  are 
solar  emblems ;  the  pallium,  the  feminine  sign,  is  studded 
with  phallic  crosses;  its  lower  end  is  the  ancient  T,  the 
mark  of  the  masculine  triad;  the  right  hand  has  the  fore- 
finger extended,  like  the  Assyrian  priests  whilst  doing 
homage  to  the  grove,  and  within  it  is  the  fruit,  tappuach, 
which  is  said  to  have  tempted  Eve.  When  a  male  dons 
the  pallium  in  worship,  he  becomes  the  representative  of  the 
trinity  in  the  unity,  the  arba,  or  mystic  four.  See  Ancient 
Faiths,  second  edition,  Vol.  n.,  pp.  915-918. 

I  take  this  opportunity  to  quote  here  a  pregnant  page  of 
King's  Gnostics  and  their  Remains,  (Bell  &  Daldy,  London, 


52 


1864).  "  To  this  period  belongs  a  beautiful  sard  in  my 
collection  representing  Serapis,  .  .  .  whilst  before  him 
stands  Isis,  holding  in  one  hand  the  sistrum,  in  the  other 


Figure  72. 


Figure  73. 


a  wheatsheaf,  with  the  legend  ...  '  Immaculate  is 
our  lady  Isis,'  the  very  terms  applied  afterwards  to  that 
personage  who  succeeded  to  her  form  (the  '  Black  Virgins,' 
so  highly  reverenced  in  certain  French  Cathedrals  during  the 
middle  ages,  proved,  when  examined  critically,  basalt  figures 
of  Isis),  her  symbols,  rites,  and  ceremonies.  .  .  .  Her 
devotees  carried  into  the  new  priesthood  the  former  badges  of 
their  profession,  the  obligation  to  celibacy,  the  tonsure,  and 
the  surplice,  omitting,  unfortunately,  the  frequent  ablutions 
prescribed  by  the  ancient  creed.  The  sacred  image  still 
moves  in  procession  as  when  Juvenal  laughed  at  it,  vi.  530, 
'Escorted  by  the  tonsured  surpliced  train.'  Her  proper 
title,  Domina,  the  exact  translation  of  Sanscrit  Isi,  survives 
with  slight  change  in  the  modern  Madonna,  Mater  Domina. 


53 

By  a  singular  permutation  the  flower  borne  by  each,  the 
lotus  —  ancient  emblem  of  the  sun  and  fecundity  —  now 
re-named  the  lily,  is  interpreted  as  significant  of  the  opposing 
quality.  The  tinkling  sistrum  ...  is  replaced  by  .  .  • 
the  bell,  taken  from  Buddhist  usages.  .  .  ,  The  erect 
oval  symbol  of  the  Female  Principle  of  Nature  became  the 
Vesica  Piscis,  and  the  Crux  Ansata,  testifying  the  union  of 
the  male  and  female  in  the  most  obvious  manner,  is  trans- 
formed into  the  orb  surmounted  by  the  cross,  as  an  ensign  of 
royalty."  Pp.  71,  72. 

Figure  74  is  a  well  known  Christian  emblem,  called  "  a 
foul  anchor."  The  anchor,  as  a  symbol,  is  of  great  antiquity. 
It  may  be  seen  on  an  old  Etruscan  coin  in  the  British 
Museum,  depicted  in  Veterum  Populorum  et  Regum  Nummi, 
etc.  (London,  1814),  plate  ii.,  fig.  1.  On  the  reverse  there 
is  a  chariot  wheel.  The  foul  anchor  represents  the  crescent 


Figure  74. 

moon,  the  yoni,  ark,  navis,  or  boat;  in  this  is  placed  the 
mast,  round  which  the  serpent,  the  emblem  of  life  in  the 
"verge,"  entwines  itself.  The  cross  beam  completes  the 
mystic  four,  symbolic  alike  of  the  sun  and  of  androgeneity. 
The  whole  is  a  covert  emblem  of  that  union  which  results  in 
fecundity.  It  is  said  by  Christians  to  be  the  anchor  of 
the  soul,  sure  and  steadfast.  This  it  certainly  cannot  be, 
for  a  foul  anchor  will  not  hold  the  ground. 

Figures  75  to  79  are  Asiatic  and  Egyptian  emblems 
in  use  amongst  ourselves,  and  receive  their  explanation 
similarly  to  preceding  ones. 


Figure  75.  Figure  76.  Figure  77.  Figure  78. 


54 


Figure  79. 

Figure  80  is  copied  from  Godfrey  Higgins'  Anacalypsis, 
vol.  ii.,  fig.  27.  It  is  drawn  from  Montfau9on,  vol.  ii., 
pi.  cxxxii.,  fig.  6.  In  his  text,  Higgins  refers  to  two  similar 


Figure 


groups,  one  which  exists  in  the  Egyptian  temple  of  Ipsam- 


bul  in  Nubia,  and  is  described  by  Wilson,  On  Buddhists  and 
Jeynes,  p.  127,  another,  found  in  a  cave  temple  in  the  south 
of  India,  described  by  Col.  Tod,  in  his  History  of  Raj- 
pootanah.  The  group  is  not  explained  by  Montfaugon.  It 
is  apparently  Greek,  and  combines  the  story  of  Hercules  with 
the  seductiveness  of  Circe.  The  tree  and  serpent  are 
common  emblems,  and  have  even  been  found  in  Indian 
temples  in  central  America,  grouped  as  in  the  woodcut. 

Figure  81  is  copied  from  Lajard,  Culte  de  Venus,  plate 
xix.,  fig.  11.  The  origin  of  this,  which 
is  a  silver  statuette  in  that  author's  pos- 
session, is  unknown.  The  female  repre- 
sents Venus  bearing  in  one  hand  an 
apple  ;  her  arm  rests  upon  what  seems  to 
be  a  representative  of  the  mystic  triad 
(the  two  additions  to  the  upright  stem 
not  being  seen  in  a  front  view)  round 
which  a  dolphin  (8eA$/j,  'dolphin,'  for 
8sA<f>o$  'womb')  is  entwined,  from  whose 
mouth  comes  the  stream  of  life.  The 
apple  plays  a  strange  part  in  Greek  and 
Hebrew  mythology.  The  story  of  "  the 
apple  of  discord,"  awarded  by  Paris  to 
Venus,  seems  to  indicate  that  where  beauty  contends  against 
majesty  and  wisdom  for  the  love  of  youth,  it  is  sure  to  win 
the  day.  We  learn  from  Arnobius  that  a  certain  Nana  con- 
ceived a  son  by  an  apple  (Op.  Cit.,  p.  236),  although  in 
another  place  the  prolific  fruit  is  said  to  have  been  a  pome- 
granate. Mythologically,  that  writer  sees  no  difficulty  in  the 
story,  for  those  who  affirm  that  rocks  and  hard  stones  have 
brought  forth.  In  the  Song  of  Solomon,  apples  and  the  tree 
that  bears  them  are  often  referred  to  ;  and  we  have  in 
Ch.  ii.  5  the  curious  expression,  "  Comfort  me  with  apples, 
for  I  am  sick  of  love."  We  are  familiar  with  the  account  of 
Eve  being  tempted  by  the  same  fruit.  Critics  imagine  that 
as  the  apple  in  Palestine  is  not  good  eating,  the  quince 


Figure  si. 


56 

is  meant ;  if  so,  we  know  that  a  leaf  of  that  tree  is  to 
be  seen  in  every  amorous  picture  found  in  Pompeii,  the 
plant  having  been  supposed  to  increase  virile  power.  Others 
imagine  that  the  citron  is  intended,  whose  shape  makes  it  an 
emblem  of  the  testis.  However  this  may  be  decided,  it  is 
tolerably  clear,  from  all  the  tales  and  pictures  in  which  a 
fruit  like  the  apple  figures,  that  the  emblem  symbolised  a 
desire  for  an  intimate  union  between  the  sexes.  The  reader 
will  doubtless  remember  how,  in  Genesis  xxx,  Leah  is 
represented  as  purchasing  her  husband's  company  for  a  night 
by  means  of  mandrakes,  the  result  being  the  birth  of 
Issachar ;  and  in  the  well-known  story  of  the  Creation  we  find 
that  the  apple  gives  birth  to  desire,  as  shown  in  the  recogni- 
tion for  the  first  time  of  the  respective  nudity  of  the  couple, 
which  was  followed  immediately,  or  as  soon  as  it  was  possible 
afterwards,  by  sexual  intercourse  and  the  conception  of  Cain. 
Figure  82  is  from  Lajard  (Op.  Git.},  plate  xivfe,  fig.  3. 


Figure  82. 

The  gem  is  of  unknown  origin,  but  is  apparently  Babylo- 
nish ;  it  represents  the  male  and  female  in  conjunction  : 
each  appears  to  be  holding  the  symbol  of  the  triad  in  much 
respect,  whilst  the  curious  cross  suggests  a  new  reading 
to  an  ancient  symbol. 

I  have  of  late  heard  it  asserted,  by  a  man  of  considerable 
learning,  though  of  a  very  narrow  mind  in  everything  which 


57 

bears  upon  religious  subjects,  that  there  is  no  proof  that  the 
sun  was  commonly  regarded  as  a  male,  or  the  moon  as  a 
female ;  and  he  based  his  strange  assertion  solely  upon  the 
ground  that  in  German  and  some  other  languages  the  sun  was 
represented  by  a  feminine,  and  the  moon  by  a  masculine 
noun.  The  argument  is  of  no  value,  for  crajSurroj,  %oipoj, 
ju-u^oj,  and  other  Greek  and  Latin  names  of  the  yoni,  are 
masculine  nouns,  and  Virga  and  Mentula,  the  Roman  words 
for  the  Linga,  are  feminine.  In  Hindostan,  the  sun  is 
always  represented  as  a  God;  the  moon  is  occasionally  a 
male,  and  sometimes  a  female  deity.  In  ancient  Gaulish 
and  Scandinavian  figures,  the  sun  was  always  a  male,  and 
the  moon  a  female.  Their  identification  will  be  seen  in 
Figure  113 — as  their  conjunction  is  in  the  one  before  us — 
in  the  position  of  the  individuals,  and  in  the  fleur-de-lys  and 
oval  symbol. 

Figure  83  may  be  found  in  Fabretti's  Corpus  Inscrip- 
tionum  Italicarum  (Turin,  1867),  plate  xxv.,  fig.  303  f.     The 


Figure  83. 

coins  which  bear  the  figures  are  of  brass,  and  were  found  at 
Volateme.  In  one  the  double  head  is  associated  with  a 
dolphin  and  crescent  moon  on  the  reverse,  and  the  letters 
VELATHHI,  in  Etruscan.  A  similar  inscription  exists  on  the 
one  containing  the  club.  The  club,  formed  as  in  Figure  83, 
occurs  frequently  on  Etruscan  coins.  For  example,  two 
clubs  are  joined  with  four  balls  on  a  Tudertine  coin,  having 
on  the  reverse  a  hand  apparently  gauntleted  for  fighting,  and 


58 

four  balls  arranged  in  a  square.  On  other  coins  are  to 
be  seen  a  bee,  a  trident,  a  spear  head,  and  other  tripli- 
form  figures,  associated  with  three  balls  in  a  triangle ;  some- 
times two,  and  sometimes  one.  The  double  head  with 
two  balls  is  seen  on  a  Telamonian  coin,  having  on  the 
reverse  what  appears  to  be  a  leg  with  the  foot  turned 
upwards.  In  a  coin  of  Populonia  the  club  is  associated  with 
a  spear  and  two  balls,  whilst  on  the  reverse  is  a  single  head. 
I  must  notice,  too,  that  on  other  coins  a  hammer  and  pincers, 
or  tongs,  appear,  as  if  the  idea  was  to  show  that  a  maker, 
fabricator,  or  heavy  hitter  was  intended  to  be  symbolised. 
What  that  was  is  further  indicated  by  other  coins,  on  which  a 
head  appears  thrusting  out  the  tongue.  At  Cortona  two 
statuettes  of  silver  have  been  found,  representing  a  double- 
faced  individual.  A  lion's  head  for  a  cap,  a  collar,  and 
buskins  are  the  sole  articles  of  dress  worn.  One  face 
appears  to  be  feminine,  and  the  other  masculine,  but  neither 
is  bearded.  The  pectorals  and  the  general  form  indicate 
the  male,  but  the  usual  marks  of  sex  are  absent.  On  these 
have  been  found  Etruscan  inscriptions  (1)  v.  CVINTI  AKNTIAS 

CULPIANSI  ALPAN   TUBCE  J    (2)  V.  OVINTE   AENTIAS  SELANSE  TEZ 

ALPAN  TUBCE.  Which  may  be  rendered  (1)  "V.  Quintus  of 
Aruntia,  to  Culpian  pleasing,  a  gift " ;  (2)  "  V.  Quintus  of 
Aruntia  to  Vulcan  pleasing  gave  a  gift,"  evidently  showing 
that  they  were  ex  voto  offerings. 

Figure  84.     The  figure  here  represented  is,  under  one 

form  or  another,  extremely  com-        /x"""~^\ 7~~~*\ 

mon     amongst     the     sculptured       f  )  (  i 

stones  in  Scotland.     Four  varie-       V__^_ \^_^/ 

ties  may  be  seen  in  plate  48  of  Figure  84. 

Col.  Forbes  Leslie's  Early  Races  of  Scotland.  In  plate  49 
it  is  associated  with  a  serpent,  apparently  the  cobra.  The 
design  is  spoken  of  as  "  the  spectacle  ornament,"  and  it  is 
very  commonly  associated  with  another  figure  closely  resem- 
bling the  letter  Z«  It  is  very  natural  for  the  inquirer  to 
associate  the  twin  circles  with  the  sun  and  earth,  or  the  sun 


59 

and  moon.  On  one  Scottish  monument  the  circles  represent 
wheels,  and  they  probably  indicate  the  solar  chariot.  As 
yet  I  have  only  been  able  to  meet  with  the  Z  and  "  spectacle 
ornament  "  once  out  of  Scotland ;  it  is  figured  on  apparently 
a  Gnostic  gem  (The  Gnostics  and  their  Remains,  by  C.  W. 
King,  London,  1864,  plate  ii.,  fig.  5).  In  that  we  see  in  a 
serpent  cartouche  two  Z  figures,  each  having  the  down 
stroke  crossed  by  a  horizontal  line,  both  ends  terminating 
in  a  circle ;  besides  them  is  a  six -rayed  star,  each  ray  termi- 
nating in  a  circle,  precisely  resembling  the  star  in  Plate  in., 
Fig.  3,  supra.  I  can  offer  no  satisfactory  explanation  of  the 
emblem. 

Figures  85,  86,  represent  a  Yorkshire  and  an   Indian 


Figure  85. 


Figure  86. 

stone   circle.      The    first   is   copied    from   Descriptions    of 
Cairns,  Cromlechs,  Kistvaens,  and  other  Celtic,  Druidical, 


or  Scythian  Monuments  in  the  Dekkan,  by  Col.  Meadows 
Taylor,  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  vol.  xxiv. 
The  mound  exists  at  Twizell,  Yorkshire,  and  the  centre  of  the 
circle  indicates  an  ancient  tomb,  very  similar  to  those  found 
by  Taylor  in  the  Dekkan ;  this  contained  only  one  single 
urn,  but  many  of  the  Indian  ones  contained,  besides  the 
skeleton  of  the  great  man  buried  therein,  skeletons  of  other 
individuals  who  had  been  slaughtered  over  his  tomb,  and 
buried  above  the  kistvaen  containing  his  bones ;  in  one 
instance  two  bodies  and  three  heads  were  found  in  the 
principal  grave,  and  twenty  other  skeletons  above  and  beside 
it.  A  perusal  of  this  very  interesting  paper  will  well  repay 
the  study  bestowed  upon  it.  Figure  86  is  copied  from  Forbes 
Leslie's  book  mentioned  above,  plate  59.  It  represents  a 
modern  stone  circle  in  the  Dekkan,  of  very  recent  con- 
struction. The  dots  upon  the  stones  represent  dabs  of  red 
paint,  which  again  represent  blood.  The  circles  are  similar 
to  some  which  have  been  found  in  Palestine,  and  give  evidence 
of  the  presence  of  the  same  religious  ideas  existing  in 
ancient  England  and  Hindostan,  as  well  as  in  modern  India. 
The  name  of  the  god  worshipped  in  these  recent  shrines  is 
Vetal,  or  Betal.  It  is  worth  mentioning,  in  passing,  that 
there  is  a  celebrated  monolith  in  Scotland  called  the  Newton 
Stone,  on  which  are  inscribed,  evidently  with  a  graving  tool, 
an  inscription  in  the  Ogham,  and  another  in  some  ancient 
Aryan  character  (see  Moore's  Ancient  Pillar  Stones  of 
Scotland). 


Figure  87. 


61 

Figure  87  indicates  the  solar  wheel,  emblem  of  the 
chariot  of  Apollo.  This  sign  is  a  very  common  one  upon 
ancient  coins ;  sometimes  the  rays  or  spokes  are  four,  at 
others  they  are  more  numerous.  Occasionally  the  tire  of 
the  wheel  is  absent,  and  amongst  the  Etruscans  the  nave  is 
omitted.  The  solar  cross  is  very  common  in  Ireland,  and 
amongst  the  Romanists  generally  as  a  head  dress  for  male 
saints. 

Figure  88  is  copied  from  Hyslop,  who  gives  it  on  the 


Figure  88. 

authority  of  Col.  Hamilton  Smith,  who  copied  it  from  the 
original  collection  made  by  the  artists  of  the  French  Insti- 
tute of  Cairo.  It  is  said  to  represent  Osiris,  but  this  is 
doubtful.  There  is  much  that  is  intensely  mystical  about 
the  figure.  The  whip,  or  flagellum,  placed  over  the  tail,  and 
the  head  passing  through  the  yoni,  the  circular  spots  with 
their  central  dot,  the  horns  with  solar  disc,  and  two  curiously 
shaped  feathers  (?),  the  calf  reclining  upon  a  plinth,  wherein 
a  division  into  three  is  conspicuous,  all  have  a  meaning  in 
reference  to  the  mystic  four. 

I  have  long  had  a  doubt  respecting  the  symbolic  mean- 
ing of  the  scourge.  Some  inquirers  have  asserted  that  it  is 
simply  an  emblem  of  power  or  superiority,  inasmuch  as  he 
who  can  castigate  must  be  in  a  higher  position  than  the  one 
who  is  punished.  But  of  this  view  I  can  find  no  proof.  On 


62 

the  other  hand,  any  one  who  is  familiar  with  the  effect  upon 
the  male  produced  by  flagellation,  and  who  notices  that  the 
representations  of  Osiris  and  the  scourge  show  evidence  that 
the  deity  is  in  the  same  condition  as  one  who  has  been 
subjected  to  the  rod,  will  be  disposed  to  believe  that  the 
flagellum  is  an  indication  or  symbol  of  the  god  who  gives  to 
man  the  power  to  reproduce  his  like,  or  who  can  restore  the 
faculty  after  it  has  faded.  It  is  not  for  a  moment  to  be 
supposed  that  a  deity  who  was  to  be  worshipped  would  be 
depicted  as  a  task-master,  whose  hands  are  more  familiar 
with  punishment  than  blessing. 

Figure  89  is  taken  from  Lajard's  Cidte  de  Venus,  plate  i., 


4? 

ft^C  '      - 


fig.  14,  and  is  an  enlarged  impression  of  a  gem.  A  similar 
figure  is  to  be  found  in  Payne  Knight's  work  On  the 
Worship  of  Priapus.  In  both  instances  the  female  is  fringed 
with  male  emblems.  In  the  one  before  us  a  fish,  apparently 
a  dolphin,  is  borne  in  one  hand.  In  the  other  the  woman  is 
bearded.  These  are  representations  of  Ashtaroth — the  andro- 
gyne deity  in  which  the  female  predominates. 

Fig.  90  represents  an  ancient  Italian  form  of  the  Indian 
Ling  Yoni.  It  is  copied  from  a  part  of  the  Frontispiece  of 
Faber's  Dissertation  on  the  Cabiri,  where  it  is  stated  that 
the  plate  is  a  copy  of  a  picture  of  a  nymphoeum  found  when 
excavating  a  foundation  for  the  Barbarini  Palace  at  Rome. 
It  deserves  notice,  because  the  round  mound  of  masonry 
surmounted  by  the  short  pillars  is  precisely  similar  to 
similar  erections  found  in  Hindostan  on  the  East  and 


63 


America  on  the  West,  as  well  as  in  various  parts  of  Europe. 
The  oval  in  the  pediment  and  the  solitary  pillar  have  the 
same  meaning  as  the  Caaba  and  hole — the  upright  stone 
and  pit  revered  at  Mecca  long  before  Mahomet's  time — the 
tree  serves  to  identify  the  pillar,  and  vice  versa.  Apertures 
were  common  in  ancient  sepulchral  monuments,  alike  in 


Figure  90. 

Hindostan  and  England ;  one  perforated  stone  is  preserved  as 
a  relic  in  the  precincts  of  an  old  church  in  modern  Rome. 
The  aperture  is  blackish  with  the  grease  of  many  hands, 
which  have  been  put  therein  whilst  their  owners  took  a 
sacred  oath.  We  have  already  remarked  how  ancient  Abra- 
ham and  a  modern  Arab  have  sworn  by  the  Linga ;  it  is 
therefore  by  no  means  remarkable  that  some  of  a  different 
form  of  faith  should  swear  by  the  Yoni. 

Figure  91  is  stated  by  Higgins,  Anacalypsis,  p.  217,  to 
be  a  mark  on  the  breast  of  an  Egyptian  mummy  in  the 


Figure  91. 


64 

Museum  of  University  College,  London.  It  is  essentially 
the  same  symbol  as  the  crux  ansata,  and  is  emblematic  of 
the  male  triad  and  the  female  unit. 

Figure  92  is  simply  introduced  to  show  that  the  papal 
tiara   has  not   about   it   anything  particularly  Christian,  a 


Figure  92. 

similar  head-dress  having  been  worn  by  gods  or  angels 
in  ancient  Assyria,  where  it  appeared  crowned  by  an  emblem 
of  "the  trinity."  We  may  mention,  in  passing,  that  as  the 
Romanists  adopted  the  mitre  and  the  tiara  from  "  the  cursed 
brood  of  Ham,"  so  they  adopted  the  episcopalian  crook  from 
the  augurs  of  Etruria,  and  the  artistic  form  with  which 
they  clothe  their  angels  from  the  painters  and  urn-makers  of 
Magna  Grecia  and  Central  Italy. 

Figure  93  is  the  Mithraic  lion.  It  may  be  seen  in 
Hyde's  Religion  of  the  Ancient  Persians,  second  edition, 
plate  i.  It  may  also  be  seen  in  vol.  ii.,  plates  10  and  11,  of 
Maffei's  Gemme  Antiche  Figurate  (Rome,  1707).  In  plate 
10  the  Mithraic  lion  has  seven  stars  above  it,  around  which 
are  placed  respectively,  words  written  in  Greek,  Etruscan 


65 

and  Phoenician  characters,  ZEDCH.  TELKAN.  TELKON. 
TELKON.  QIDEKH.  UNEULK.  LNKELLP.,  apparently 
showing  that  the  emblem  was  adopted  by  the  Gnostics.  It 
would  be  unprofitable  to  dwell  upon  the  meaning  of  these 
letters.  After  puzzling  over  them,  I  fancy  that  "Bad 
spirits,  pity  us,"  "  Just  one,  I  call  on  thee,"  may  be  made 


66 

out  by  considering  the  words  to  be  very  bad  Greek,  and  the 
letters  to  be  much  transposed. 

Figure  94  is  copied  by  Higgins,  Anacalypsis,  on  the 
authority  of  Dubois,  who  states,  vol.  iii.,  p.  33,  that  it  was 
found  on  a  stone  in  a  church  in  France,  where  it  had 
been  kept  religiously  for  six  hundred  years.  Dubois  regards 
it  as  wholly  astrological,  and  as  having  no  reference  to 
the  story  told  in  Genesis.  It  is  unprofitable  to  speculate  on 
the  draped  figures  as  representatives  of  Adam  and  Eve. 
We  have  introduced  it  to  show  how  such  tales  are  inter- 
mingled with  Sabeanism. 

Figure  95  is  a  copy  of  a  gem  figured  by  Layard  (Nineveh 
and  Babylon,  p.  156),  and  represents  Harpocrates  seated  on 
a  lotus,  adoring  the  mundane  representative  of  the 
mother  of  creation.  I  have  not  yet  met  with  any 
ancient  gem  or  sculpture  which  seems  to  identify 
the  yoni  so  completely  with  various  goddesses. 
Compare  this  with  Figure  138,  infra,  wherein  the  Figure  95. 
emblem  is  even  more  strikingly  identified  with  woman,  and 
with  the  virgin  Mary.  Those  who  are  familiar  with  the 
rude  designs  too  often  chalked  on  hoardings,  will  see  that 
learned  ancients  and  boorish  moderns  represent  certain  ideas 
in  precisely  similar  fashion,  and  will  understand  the  mystic 
meaning  of  Q  an^  ~\  •  I  have  elsewhere  called  attention  to 
the  idea  that  a  sight  of  the  yoni  is  a  source  of  health,  and 
a  charm  against  evil  spirits  ;  however  grotesque  the  idea  may 
be,  it  has  existed  in  all  ages,  and  in  civilised  and  savage 
nations  alike.  A  rude  image  of  a  woman  who  shamelessly 
exhibits  herself  has  been  found  over  the  doors  of  churches  in 
Ireland,  and  at  Servatos,  in  Spain,  where  she  is  standing  on 
one  side  of  the  doorway,  and  an  equally  conspicuous  man  on 
the  other.  The  same  has  been  found  in  Mexico,  Peru,  and 
in  North  America.  Nor  must  we  forget  how  Baubo  cured 
the  intense  grief  of  Ceres  by  exposing  herself  in  a  strange 
fashion  to  the  distressed  goddess.  Arnobius,  Op.  Cit., 
pp.  249,  250. 


67 

As  I  have  already  noticed  modern  notions  on  the 
influence  produced  by  the  exhibition  of  the  yoni  on  those 
who  are  suffering,  the  legend  referred  to  may  be  shortly 
described.  The  goddess,  in  the  story,  was  miserable  in 
consequence  of  her  daughter,  Proserpine,  having  been  stolen 
away  by  Pluto.  In  her  agony,  snatching  two  Etna-lighted 
torches,  she  wanders  round  the  earth  in  search  of  the  lost 
one,  and  in  due  course  visits  Eleusis.  Baubo  receives  her 
hospitably;  but  nothing  that  the  hostess  does  induces  the 
guest  to  depose  her  grief  for  a  moment.  In  despair  the 
mortal  bethinks  her  of  a  scheme,  shaves  off  what  is  called 
in  Isaiah  "the  hair  of  the  feet"  and  then  exposes  herself  to 
the  goddess.  Ceres  fixes  her  eyes  upon  the  denuded  spot,  is 
pleased  with  the  strange  form  of  consolation,  consents  to 
take  food  and  is  restored  to  comfort. 

Figure  96  is  copied  from  plate  22,  fig.  3,  of  Lajard's 
Culte  de  Venus.  He  states  that  it  is  an  impression  of 


Figure  96. 

a  cornelian  cylinder,  in  the  collection  of  the  late  Sir  William 
Ouseley,  and  is  supposed  to  represent  Cannes,  or  Bel  and 
two  fish  gods,  the  authors  of  fecundity.  It  is  thought 
that  Dagon  of  'the  Philistines  resembled  the  two  figures 
supporting  the  central  one. 

Figure  97  is  a  side  view  of  plate  1.     The  idol  represents 
a  female.    Dagon,  the  fish  god,  male  above,  piscine  below,  was 


one  of  the  many  symbols  of  an  androgyne  creator.  In  the 
first  of  the  Avatars  of  Vishnu,  he  is  represented  as  emerging 
from  the  mouth  of  a  fish,  and  being  a  fish  himself;  the 


Figure  97. 

legend  being  that  he  was  to  be  the  saviour  of  the  world  in 
a  deluge  which  was  to  follow.  See  Moor's  Hindu  Pantheon, 
and  Coleman's  Mythology  of  the  Hindus. 

Figure  98  is  a  fancy  sketch  of  the  fleur-de-lys,  the  lily  of 
.  France.  It  symbolises  the  male  triad,  whilst  the  ring 
Vy  around  it  represents  the  female.  The  identification 
fe?  of  this  emblem  of  the  trinity  with  the  tripliform  Maha- 
Fig.  98.  devaj  an(j  Of  the  ring  with  his  sacti,  may  be  seen  in 
the  next  figure. 

Figure  99,  which  we  have  already  given  on  page  46, 
is  one  of  great  value  to  the  inquirer  into  the  signification  of 
certain  symbols.  It  has  been  reintroduced  here  to  show  the 
identification  of  the  eye,  fish,  or  oval  shape,  with  the  yoni, 
and  of  the  fleur-de-lys  with  the  lingam,  which  is  recognised 
by  the  respective  positions  of  the  emblems  in  front  of  parti- 


69 

cular  parts  of  the  mystic  animals,  who  both,  on  their 
part,  adore  the  symbolic  palm  tree,  with  its  pistil  and 
stamens.  The  rayed  branches  of  the  upper  part  of  the  tree, 


Figure 


and  the  nearness  to  it  of  the  crescent  moon,  seem  to  indicate 
that  the  palm  was  a  solar  as  well  as  a  sexual  emblem. 

The  great  similarity  of  the  palm  tree  to  the  ancient 
round  towers  in  Ireland  and  elsewhere  will  naturally  strike 
the  observer.  He  will  perhaps  remember  also  that  on  certain 
occasions  dancing,  feasting,  and  debauchery  were  practised 
about  a  round  tower  in  Wicklow,  such  as  were  practised  round 
the  English  may-pole,  the  modern  substitute  of  the  mystic 
palm  tree.  We  have  now  humanised  our  practice,  but 
we  have  not  purified  our  land  of  all  its  veiled  symbols. 

In  some  parts,  where  probably  the  palm  tree  does  not 
flourish,  the  pine  takes  its  place  as  an  emblem.  It  was 
sacred  to  the  mother  of  the  gods,  whose  names,  Rhcea, 
Ceres,  Cybele,  are  paraphrastic  of  the  yoni.  We  learn  from 
Arnobius,  Op.  Git.,  p.  239,  that  on  fixed  days  that  tree  was 
introduced  into  the  sanctuary  of  that  august  personage,  being 
decorated  by  fleeces  and  violets.  It  does  not  require  any 
recondite  knowledge  to  understand  the  signification  of  the 
entrance  of  the  pine  into  the  temple  of  the  divine  mother, 
nor  what  the  tree  when  buried  in  the  midst  of  a  fleece 
depicts.  Those  who  have  heard  of  the  origin  of  the  Spanish 


70 

Koyal  Order  of  the  Golden  Fleece  know  that  the  word  is  an 
euphemism  for  the  lanugo  of  the  Romans.  Parsley  round  a 
carrot  root  is  a  modern  symbol,  and  the  violet  is  as  good  an 
emblem  of  the  lingam  as  the  modern  pistol. 

It  has  long  been  known  that  the  ancient  custom  of  erect- 
ing a  may-pole,  surrounding  it  with  wreaths  of  flowers,  and 
then  dancing  round  it  in  wild  orgy,  was  a  relic  of  the  ancient 
custom  of  reverencing  the  symbol  of  creation,  invigorated  by 
the  returning  spring  time,  without  whose  powers  the  flocks 
and  herds  would  fail  to  increase.  It  will  not  fail  to  attract 
the  notice  of  my  readers,  that  a  pine  cone  is  constantly 
being  offered  to  the  sacred  "grove"  by  the  priests  of 
Assyria. 

Figures  100,  101,  represent  the  Buddhist  cross  and  one 
of  its  arms.  The  first  shows  the  union  of  four  phalli.  The 


Figure  100.  Figure  101. 

single  one  being  a  conventional  form  of  a  well-known  organ. 
This  form  of  cross  does  not  essentially  differ  from  the 
Maltese  cross.  In  the  latter,  Asher  stands  perpendicularly 
to  Anu  and  Hea ;  in  the  former  it  is  at  right  angles  to  them. 
"  The  pistol "  is  a  well-known  name  amongst  our  soldiery, 
and  four  such  joined  together  by  the  muzzle  would  form  the 
Buddhist  cross.  Compare  Figure  37,  ante. 

Figures  102,  103,  104,  indicate  the  union  of  the  four 
creators,  the  trinity  and  the  unity.  Not  having  at  hand  any 
copy  of  an  ancient  key,  I  have  used  a  modern  one  ;  but  this 
makes  no  essential  difference  in  the  symbol. 

wO 

Figure  102.  Figure  103.  Figure  104. 


71 


Figures  105,  106,  are  copied  from  Lajard,  Sur  le  Culte 
de  Venus,  plate  ii.  They  represent  ornaments  held  in  the 
hands  of  a  great  female  figure,  sculptured  in  bas  relief  on  a 
rock  at  Yazili  Kaia,  near  to  Boghaz  Keni,  in  Anatolia,  and 
described  by  M.  C.  Texier  in  1834.  The  goddess  is  crowned 
with  a  tower,  to  indicate  virginity ;  in  her  right  hand  she 
holds  a  staff,  shown  in  Figure  106 ;  in  the  other,  that  given 
in  Figure  105,  she  stands  upon  a  lioness,  and  is  attended 
by  an  antelope.  Figure  105  is  a  complicated  emblem  of  the 
'four.' 


Figure  105.  Figure  106. 

Figures  107,  108,  109,  are  copied  from  Moor's  Hindu 
Pantheon,  plate  Ixxxiii.     They  represent  the  lingam  and  the 


Figure  107. 


72 


Figure  108. 


Figure  109. 


78 

yoni,  which  amongst  the  Indians  are  regarded  as  holy 
emblems,  much  in  the  same  way  as  a  crucifix  is  esteemed  by 
certain  modern  Christians.  In  worship,  ghee,  or  oil,  or 
water,  is  poured  over  the  pillar,  and  allowed  to  run  off  by  the 
spout.  Sometimes  the  pillar  is  adorned  by  a  necklace,  and 
is  associated  with  the  serpent  emblem.  In  Lucian's  account 
of  Alexander,  the  false  prophet,  which  we  have  condensed  in 
Ancient  Faiths,  second  edition,  there  is  a  reference  to  one  of 
his  dupes,  who  was  a  distinguished  Roman  officer,  but  so  very 
superstitious,  or,  as  he  would  say  of  himself,  so  deeply 
imbued  with  religion,  that  at  the  sight  of  a  stone  he  would 
fall  prostrate  and  adore  it  for  a  considerable  time,  offering 
prayers  and  vows  thereto.  This  may  by  some  be  thought 
quite  as  reasonable  as  the  practice  once  enforced  in  Christian 
Rome,  which  obliged  all  persons  in  the  street  to  kneel  in 
reverence  when  an  ugly  black  doll,  called  "  the  bambino,"  or 
a  bit  of  bread,  over  which  some  cabalistic  words  had  been 
muttered,  was  being  carried  in  procession  past  them.  Arno- 
bius,  Op.  Cit.,  p.  31,  says,  "  I  worshipped  images  produced 
from  the  furnace,  gods  made  on  anvils  and  by  hammers, 
the  bones  of  elephants,  paintings,  wreaths  on  aged  trees ; 
whenever  I  espied  an  anointed  stone,  and  one  bedaubed  with 
olive  oil,  as  if  some  person  resided  in  it,  I  worshipped  it, 
I  addressed  myself  to  it,  and  begged  blessings  from  a 
senseless  stock."  Compare  Gen.  xxviii.  18,  wherein  we  find 
that  Jacob  set  up  a  stone  and  anointed  it  with  oil,  and 
called  the  place  Bethel,  and  Is.  xxvii.  19,  xl.  20,  xliv.  10-20. 
I  copy  the  following  remarks  from  a  paper  by  Mr. 
Sellon,  in  Memoirs  of  the  London  Anthropological  Society, 
for  1863-4.  Speaking  of  Hindostan,  he  remarks,  "  As 
every  village  has  its  temple  so  every  temple  has  its  Lingam, 
and  these  parochial  Lingams  are  usually  from  two  to  three 
feet  in  height,  and  rather  broad  at  the  base.  Here  the 
village  girls,  who  are  anxious  for  lovers  or  husbands,  repair 
early  in  the  morning.  They  make  a  lustration  by  sprinkling 
the  god  with  water  brought  from  the  Ganges  ;  they  deck  the 


74 

Linga  with  garlands  of  the  sweet-smelling  bilwa  flower  ; 
they  perform  the  mudra,  or  gesticulation  with  the  fingers, 
and,  reciting  the  prescribed  mantras,  or  incantations,  they 
rub  themselves  against  the  emblem,  and  entreat  the  deity  to 
make  them  fruitful  mothers  of  pulee-puUum  (i.e.,  child 
fruit). 

"  This  is  the  celebrated  Linga  puja,  during  the  perform- 
ance of  which  the  panchaty,  or  five  lamps,  must  be  lighted, 
and  the  gantha,  or  bell,  be  frequently  rung  to  scare  away  the 
evil  demons.  The  mala,  or  rosary  of  a  hundred  and  eight 
round  beads,  is  also  used  in  this  puja." 

See  also  Moor's  Hindu  Pantheon,  plate  xxii,  pp.  68,  69, 
70.  Again,  in  the  Dabistan,  a  work  written  in  the  Persian 
language,  by  a  travelled  Mahometan,  about  A.  D.  1660,  and 
translated  by  David  Shea,  for  the  Oriental  Translation  Fund 
of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  (3  vols.,  8vo.,  Allen  and  Co., 
Leadenhall  Street,  London),  we  read,  vol.  ii.,  pp.  148-160, 
"  The  belief  of  the  Saktian  is  that  Siva,  that  is,  Mahadeva, 
who  with  little  exception  is  the  highest  of  deities  and  the 
greatest  of  the  spirits,  has  a  spouse  whom  they  call  Maya 

Sakti With  them  the  power  of  Mahadeva's 

wife,  who  is  Bhavani,  surpasses  that  of  the  husband.  The 
zealous  of  this  sect  worship  the  Siva  Linga,  although  other 
Hindoos  also  venerate  it.  Linga  is  called  the  virile  organ, 
and  they  say,  on  behalf  of  this  worship,  that  as  men  and  all 
living  beings  derive  their  existence  from  it,  adoration  is  duly 
bestowed  upon  it.  As  the  linga  of  Mahadeva,  so  do  they 
venerate  the  bhaga,  that  is,  the  female  organ.  A  man  very 
familiar  with  them  gave  the  information  that,  according  to 
their  belief,  the  high  altar,  or  principal  place  in  a  mosque  of 
the  Mussulmans,  is  an  emblem  of  the  bhaga.  Another  man 
among  them  said  that  as  the  just-named  place  emblems  the 
bhaga,  the  minar  or  turret  of  the  mosque  represents  the 
linga."  The  author  then  goes  on  to  describe  the  practices 
of  the  sect,  which  may  be  summed  up  in  the  words — the 
most  absolute  freedom  of  love. 


75 

Apropos  of  the  Mahometan  minaret  and  Christian  church 
towers  and  spires,  I  may  mention  that  Lucian  describes  the 
magnificent  temple  of  the  Syrian  goddess  as  having  two  vast 
phalli  before  its  main  entrance,  and  how  at  certain  seasons 
men  ascended  to  their  summit,  and  remained  there  some 
days,  so  as  to  utter  from  thence  the  prayers  of  the  faithful. 

Figures  110,  111,  both  from  Moor,  plate  Ixxxvi.,  are 
forms  of  the  argha,  or  sacred  sacrificial  cup,  bowl,  or  basin, 
which  represent  the  yoni,  and  some  other  things  besides. 
See  Moor,  Hindu  Pantheon,  pp.  393,  394. 


Figure  111. 

Figure  112.     Copied  from  Rawlinson's  Ancient  Monar- 


Figure  112. 


76 

chies,  vol.  i.,  p.  176,  symbolises  Ishtar,  the  Assyrian  repre- 
sentative of  Devi,  Parvati,  Isis,  Astarte,  Venus,  and  Mary. 
The  virgin  and  child  are  to  be  found  everywhere,  even  in 
ancient  Mexico. 

Figure  113  is  copied  from  Lajard,  Sur  le  Culte  de  Venus, 


Figure  113. 

plate  xix.,  fig.  6,  and  represents  the  male  and  female  as  the 
sun  and  moon,  thus  identifying  the  symbolic  sex  of  those 
luminaries.  The  legend  in  the  Pehlevi  characters  has  not 
been  interpreted. 

Figure  114  is  taken  from  a  mediaeval  woodcut,  lent  to  me 
by  my  friend,  Mr.  John  Newton,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for 
the  sight  of,  and  the  privilege  to  copy,  many  other  figures. 
In  it  the  virgin  Mary  is  seen  as  the  Queen  of  Heaven, 
nursing  her  infant,  and  identified  with  the  crescent  moon,  the 
emblem  of  virginity.  Being  before  the  sun,  she  almost  eclipses 
its  light.  Than  this,  nothing  could  more  completely  identify 
the  Christian  mother  and  child  with  Isis  and  Horus,  Ishtar, 
Venus,  Juno,  and  a  host  of  other  pagan  goddesses,  who  have 
been  called  '  Queen  of  Heaven,'  '  Queen  of  the  Universe,' 
'  Mother  of  God,'  '  Spouse  of  God,'  the  '  Celestial  Virgin,'  the 
'  Heavenly  Peace  Maker,'  etc. 

Figures  115,  116,  are  common  devices  in  papal  churches 
and  pagan  symbolism.  They  are  intended  to  indicate  the 
sun  and  moon  in  conjunction,  the  union  of  the  triad  with 


77 


the  unit.     I  may  notice,  in  passing,  that  Mr.  Newton  has 
showed  to  me  some  mediaeval  woodcuts,  in  which  the  young 


Figure  114. 

unmarried  women  in  a  mixed  assemblage  were  indicated  by 
wearing  upon  their  foreheads  a  crescent  moon. 


Figure  115. 


Figure  116. 


78 


Figure  117  is  a  Buddhist  symbol,  or  rather  a  copy  of 


Figure  117. 

Maityna  Bodhisatwa,  from  the  monastery  of  Gopach,  in  the 
valley  of  Nepaul.  It  is  taken  from  Journal  of  Royal  Asiatic 
Society,  vol.  xviii.,  p.  894.  The  horse-shoe,  like  the  vesica 
piscis  of  the  Roman  church,  indicates  the  yoni ;  the  last, 
taken  from  some  cow,  mare,  or  donkey,  being  used  in  eastern 
parts  where  we  now  use- their  shoes,  to  keep  off  the  evil  eye. 
It  is  remarkable  that  some  nations  should  use  the  female 
organ,  or  an  effigy  thereof,  as  a  charm  against  ill  luck,  whilst 
others  adopt  the  male  symbol.  In  Ireland,  as  we  have 
previously  remarked,  a  female  shamelessly  exhibiting  her- 
self, and  called  Shelah-na-gig,  was  to  be  seen  in  stone  over 
the  door  of  certain  churches,  within  the  last  century. 

From  the  resemblance  in  the  shape  of  the  horse-shoe  to. 
the  "  grove  "  of  the  Assyrian  worshippers,  and  from  the  man 
standing  within  it  as  the  symbolic  pine  tree  stands  in  the 
Mesopotamian,  "  Asherah,"  I  think  we  may  fairly  conclude 


79 

that  the  Indian,  like  the  Shemitic  emblem,  typifies  the  union 
of  the  sexes — the  androgyne  creator. 

That  some  Buddhists  have  mingled  sexuality  with  their 
ideas  of  religion,  may  be  seen  in  plate  ii.  of  Emil  Schlagin- 
tweit's  Atlas  of  Buddhism  in  Tibet,  wherein  VAJARSATTVA, 
"  The  God  above  all,"  is  represented  as  a  male  and  female 
conjoined.  Rays,  as  of  the  sun,  pass  from  the  group  ;  and 
all  are  enclosed  in  an  ornate  oval,  or  horse-shoe,  like  that  in 
this  figure.  Few,  however,  but  the  initiated  would  recognise 
the  nature  of  the  group  at  first  sight. 

I  may  also  notice,  in  passing,  that  the  goddess  DOLJANG 
(A.D.  617-98)  has  the  stigmata  in  her  hands  and  feet,  like 
those  assigned  to  Jesus  of  Nazareth  and  Francis  of  Assisi. 

Figure  118  is  a  copy  of  the  medal  issued  to  pilgrims  at 
the  shrine  of  the  virgin  at  Loretto.  It  was  lent  to  me  by 


Figure  118. 

Mr.  Newton,  but  the  engraver  has  omitted  to  make  the  face 
of  the  mother  and  child  black,  as  the  most  ancient  and 
renowned  ones  usually  are. 

Instead  of  the  explanation  given  in  Ancient  Faiths, 
Vol.  ii.,  p.  262,  of  the  adoption  of  a  black  skin  for  Mary  and 
her  son,  D'Harcanville  suggests  that  it  represents  night,  the 
period  during  which  the  feminine  creator  is  most  propitious 
or  attentive  to  her  duties.  It  is  unnecessary  to  contest  the 


80 

point,  for  almost  every  symbol  has  more  interpretations 
given  to  it  than  one.  I  have  sought  in  vain  for  even  a 
plausible  reason  for  the  blackness  of  sacred  virgins  and 
children,  in  certain  papal  shrines,  which  is  compatible  with 
decency  and  Christianity.  It  is  clear  that  the  matter  will 
not  bear  the  light. 

Figure  119  is  from  Lajard,  Op.  Cit.,  plate  iii.,  fig.  8. 
It  represents  the  sun,  moon,  and  a  star,  probably  Venus. 


Figure  119. 

The  legend  is  in  PhoBnician,  and  may  be  read  LNBRB. 
Levy,  in  Siegel  und  Gemmen,  Breslau,  1869,  reads  the 
legend  ymi^,  LKBEBO,  but  does  not  attempt  to  explain  it. 
Figure  120  is  also  from  Lajard,  plate  i.,  fig.  8.  It  repre- 
sents an  act  of  worship  before  the  symbols  of  the  male  and 


Fignre  120. 

female  creators,  arranged  in  three  pairs.      Above  are  the 
heavenly  symbols  of  the  sun  and  moon.    Below  are  the  male 


81 


palm  tree,  and  the  barred  HTSK,  identical  in  meaning  with  the 
sistrum,  i.  e.,  virgo  intacta.  Next  come  the  male  emblem, 
the  cone,  and  the  female  symbol,  the  lozenge  or  yoni. 

Figure  121  represents  also  a  worshipper  before  the  barred 
female  symbol,  surmounted  by  the  seven-rayed  star,  emblem 


Figure  121. 

of  the  male  potency,  and  of  the  sun  or  the  heavens.  It  will 
be  noticed — and  the  matter  is  significant — that  the  hand 
which  is  raised  in  adoration  is  exactly  opposite  the  conjunc- 
tion of  the  two.  Compare  this  with  Fig.  95,  where  the 
female  alone  is  the  object  of  reverence. 

Lajard  and  others  state  that  homage,  such  as  is  here 
depicted,  is'  actually  paid  in  some  parts  of  Palestine  and 
India  to  the  living  symbol ;  the  worshipper  on  bended  knees 
offering  to  it,  la  bouche  inferieure,  with  or  without  a  silent 
prayer,  his  food  before  he  eats  it.  A  corresponding  homage 
is  paid  by  female  devotees  to  the  masculine  emblem  of  any 
very  peculiarly  holy  fakir,  one  of  whose  peculiarities  is,  that 
no  amount  of  excitement  stimulates  the  organ  into  what  may 
be  called  creative  energy.  It  has  long  been  a  problem  how 
such  a  state  of  apathy  is  brought  about,  but  modern  observa- 
tion has  proved  that  it  is  by  the  habitual  use  of  weights. 
Such  homage  is  depicted  in  Picart's  Religious  Ceremonies 


82 

of  att  the   People  in   the   World,  original  French  edition, 
plate  71. 

Figure  122  is  copied  from  Bryant's  Ancient  Mythology, 
third  edition,  vol.  iii.,  p.  193.     That  author  states  that  he 


Figure  122. 

copied  it  from  Spanheim,  but  gives  no  other  reference.  It 
is  apparently  from  a  Greek  medal,  and  has  the  word 
CAMIilN  as  an  inscription.  It  is  said  to  represent  Juno, 
Sami,  or  Selenitis,  with  the  sacred  peplum.  The  figure  is 
remarkable  for  showing  the  identity  of  the  moon,  the 
lozenge,  and  the  female.  It  is  doubtful  whether  the  attitude 
of  the  goddess  is  intended  to  represent  the  cross. 

As  in  religious  Symbolism  every  detail  has  a  signification, 
we  naturally  speculate  upon  the  meaning  of  the  beads  which 
fringe  the  lower  part  of  the  diamond-shaped  garment.  We 
have  noticed  in  a  previous  article  that  the  Linga  when 


83 

worshipped  was  sometimes  adorned  with  beads,  which  were 
the  fruit  of  a  tree  sacred  to  Mahadeva ;  in  the  original  of 
fig.  4,  plate  xi.  supra,  the  four  arms  of  the  cross  have  a  series 
of  beads  depending  from  them.  On  a  very  ancient  coin  of 
Citium,  a  rosary  of  beads,  with  a  cross,  has  been  found 
arranged  round  a  horse-shoe  form ;  and  beads  are  common 
ornaments  on  Hindoo  Divinities.  They  may  only  be  used 
for  decoration  and  without  religious  signification;  if  they 
have  the  last,  I  have  not  been  able  to  discover  it. 

Figure  123  is  a  composition  taken  from  Bryant,  vol.  iv., 
p.  286.     The  rock,  the  water,  the  crescent  moon  as  an  ark, 


Figure  123. 

and  the  dove  hovering  over  it,  are  all  symbolical ;  but 
though  the  author  of  it  is  right  in  his  grouping,  it  is  clear 
that  he  is  not  aware  of  its  full  signification.  The  reader 
will  readily  gather  their  true  meaning  from  our  articles  upon 
the  ARK  and  WATER,  and  from  our  remarks  upon  the  DOVE 
in  Ancient  Faiths,  second  edition. 


84 

Figure   124   is   copied   from    Maffei's    Gemme   Antiche 
Figurate,  vol.  3,  plate  xl.      In  the  original,  the  figure  upon 


Figure  124. 

the  pillar  is  very  conspicuously  phallic,  and  the  whole  com- 
position indicates  what  was  associated  with  the  worship  of 
Priapus.  This  so-called  god  was  regarded  much  in  the 
same  light  as  St.  Cosmo  and  St.  Damian  were  at  Isernia, 
and  St.  Foutin  in  Christian  France.  And  it  is  not  at  all 
surprising  that  a  church,  which  has  deified  or  made  saints  of 
a  spear  and  cloak,  under  the  names  Longinus  and  Amphi- 
bolus,  should  also  adopt  the  "  god  of  the  gardens,"  and 
consecrate  him  as  an  object  for  Christian  worship,  and  give 
him  an  appropriate  name  and  emblem.  But  the  patron  saint 
of  Lampsacus  was  not  really  a  deity,  only  a  sort  of  saint, 
whose  business  it  was  to  attend  to  certain  parts.  The  idea  of 
guardian  angels  was  once  common,  see  Matt,  xviii.  10,  where 


85 

we  read,  that  each  child  has  a  guardian  in  heaven,  who  looks 
after  his  infantile  charge.  As  the  pagan  Hymen  and  Lucina 
attended  upon  weddings  and  parturitions,  so  the  Christian 
Cosmo  and  Damian  attended  to  spouses,  and  assisted  in 
making  them  fruitful.  To  the  last  two  were  offered,  by 
sterile  wives,  wax  effigies  of  the  part  left  out  from  the  nude 
figure  in  our  plate.  To  the  heathen  saint,  we  see  a  female 
votary  offer  quince  leaves,  equivalent  to  la  feuille  de  sage, 
egg-shaped  bread,  apparently  a  cake;  also  an  ass's  head; 
whilst  her  attendant  offers  a  pine  cone.  This  amongst  the 
Greeks  was  sacred  to  Cybele,  as  it  was  in  Assyria  to  Astarte 
or  Ishtar,  the  name  given  there  to  '  the  mother  of  all  saints.' 
The  basket  contains  apples  and  phalli,  which  may 
have  been  made  of  pastry.  See  Martial's  Epigrams,  b.  xiv. 
69.  This  gem  is  valuable,  inasmuch  as  it  assists  us  to  under- 
stand the  signification  of  the  pine  cone  offered  to  the  'grove,' 
the  equivalent  of  le  Verger  de  Cypris.  The  pillar  and  its 
base  are  curiously  significant,  and  demonstrate  how  com- 
pletely an  artist  can  appear  innocent,  whilst  to  the  initiated 
he  unveils  a  mystery. 

Figures  125,  126,  127,  are  various  contrivances  for  indi- 
cating decently  that  which  it  was  generally  thought  religious 
to  conceal,  la  bequille,  ou  les  instrumens. 


Figure  125.  Figure  126.  Figure  127. 

Figure  128  represents  the  same  subject;  the  cuts  are 
grouped  so  as  to  show  how  the  knobbed  stick,  le  baton, 
becomes  converted  either  into  a  bent  rod,  la  verge,  or  a 
priestly  crook,  le  baton  pastoral.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
the  episcopal  crozier  is  a  presentable  effigy  of  a  very  private 
and  once  highly  venerated  portion  of  the  human  frame, 


86 


which  was  used  in  long  by-gone  days  by  Etruscan  augurs, 
when  they  mapped  out  the  sky,  prior  to  noticing  the  flight  of 


Figure  128. 

birds.  Perhaps  we  ought  to  be  grateful  to  Popery  for  having 
consecrated  to  Christ  what  was  so  long  used  in  that  which 
divines  call  the  service  of  the  devil. 

Figures   129,    130,    181,   are,   like  the   preceding   four, 
copied   from   various   antique   gems ;    Fig.    129   represents 


Figure  129. 


Figure  130. 


Figure  131. 


a  steering  oar,  le  timon,  and  is  usually  held  in  the  hand 
of  good  fortune,  or  as  moderns  would  say  "  Saint  Luck,"  or 
bonnes  fortunes ;  Fig.  130  is  emblematic  of  Cupid,  or  Saint 
Desire ;  it  is  synonymous  with  le  dard,  or  la  pique ;  Fig. 
131  is  a  form  less  common  in  gems ;  it  represents  the 
hammer,  le  marteau  qui  frappe  V  enclume  et  forge  les  enfans. 
The  ancients  had  as  many  pictorial  euphemisms  as  our- 
selves, and  when  these  are  understood  they  enable  us  to 
comprehend  many  a  legend  otherwise  dim ;  e.  g.,  when 
Fortuna,  or  luck,  always  depicted  as  a  woman,  has  for  her 
characteristic  le  timon,  and  for  her  motto  the  proverb,  "For- 


87 

tune  favours  the  bold,"  we  readily  understand  the  double 
entente.  The  steering  oar  indicates  power,  knowledge, 
skill,  and  bravery  in  him  who  wields  it;  without  such  a 
guide,  few  boats  would  attain  a  prosperous  haven. 

Figure  132  is  copied  from  plate  xxix.  of  Pugin's  Glossary 
of  Ecclesiastical  Ornament  (Lond.,  1868).     The  plate  repre- 


Fignre  132. 


sents  "a  pattern  for  diapering,"  and  is,  I  presume, 
thoroughly  orthodox.  It  consists  of  the  double  triangle,  see 
Figures  20,  30,  31,  32,  pp.  32,  38,  the  emblems  of  Siva  and 
Parvati,  the  male  and  female ;  of  Rimmon  the  pomegranate, 


88 


the  emblem  of  the  womb,  which  is  seen  to  be  full  of  seed 
through  the  "vesica  piscis,"  la  fente,  or  la  porte  de  la  vie. 
There  are  also  two  new  moons,  emblems  of  Venus,  or  la 
nature,  introduced.  The  crown  above  the  pomegranate 
represents  the  triad,  and  the  number  four;  whilst  in  the 
original  the  group  which  we  copy  is  surrounded  by  various 
forms  of  the  triad,  all  of  which  are  as  characteristic  of  man 
as  Kimmon  is  of  woman.  There  are  also  circles  enclosing 
the  triad,  analogous  to  other  symbols  common  in  Hindo- 
stan. 

Figure  133  is  copied  from  Moor's  Hindu  Pantheon,  pi.  ix., 
fig.  3.     It   represents   Bhavhani,  Maia,  Devi,  Lakshmi,  or 


Figure  133. 

Kamala,  one  of  the  many  forms  given  to  female  nature. 
She  bears  in  one  hand  the  lotus,  emblem  of  self-fructifica- 
tion, —  in  other  similar  figures  an  effigy  of  the  phallus  is 
placed,  —  whilst  in  the  other  she  holds  her  infant  Krishna, 
Crishna,  or  Vishnu.  Such  groups  are  as  common  in  India 


89 

as  in  Italy,  in  pagan  temples  as  in  Christian  churches. 
The  idea  of  the  mother  and  child  is  pictured  in  every  ancient 
country  of  whose  art  any  remains  exist. 

Figure  134  is  taken  from  plate  xxiv.,  fig.   1,  of  Moor's 
Hindu  Pantheon.     It  represents  a  subject  often  depicted  by 


Figure  134. 

the  Hindoos  and  the  Greeks,  viz.,  androgynism,  the  union 
of  the  male  and  female  creators.  The  technical  word  is 
Arddha-Nari.  The  male  on  the  right  side  bears  the  emblems 


90 

of  Siva  or  Mahadeva,  the  female  on  the  left  those  of  Parvati 
or  Sacti.  The  bull  and  lioness  are  emblematic  of  the  mas- 
culine and  feminine  powers.  The  mark  on  the  temple 
indicates  the  union  of  the  two  ;  an  aureole  is  seen  around 
the  head,  as  in  modern  pictures  of  saints.  In  this  drawing 
the  Ganges  rises  from  the  male,  the  idea  being  that  the 
stream  from  Mahadeva  is  as  copious  and  fertilising  as  that 
mighty  river.  The  metaphor  here  depicted  is  common  in 
the  East,  and  is  precisely  the  same  as  that  quoted  in  Num. 
xxiv.  7,  and  also  from  some  lost  Hebrew  book  in  John  vii. 
38.  It  will  be  noticed,  that  the  Hindoos  express  androgyneity 
quite  as  conspicuously,  but  generally  much  less  indelicately, 
than  the  Grecian  artists. 

Figure   135   is   a   common   Egyptian   emblem,    said  to 
signify  eternity,  but  in  truth  it  has  another  meaning.     The 


Figure  135. 

serpent  and  the  ring  indicate  I'  andouille  and  V  anneau. 
The  tail  of  the  animal,  which  the  mouth  appears  to  swallow, 
is  la  queue  dans  la  louche.  The  symbol  resembles  the  crux 
ansata  in  its  signification,  and  imports  that  life  upon  the 
earth  is  rendered  perpetual  by  means  of  the  union  of  the 
sexes.  A  ring,  or  circle,  is  one  of  the  symbols  of  Venus, 
who  carries  indifferently  this,  or  the  triad  emblem  of  the 
male.  See  Maffei's  Oemme,  vol.  iii.,  page  1,  plate  viii. 

Figure  136  is  the  vesica  piscis,  or  fish's  bladder;  the 


Figure  136. 


emblem  of  woman  and  of  the  virgin,  as  may  be  seen  in  the 
two  following  woodcuts. 

Figures  137,   138,  are  copied  from  an  ancient  Rosary 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  printed  at  Venice,  1524,  with  a 


Figure  137. 

license  from  the  Inquisition ;  the  book  being  lent  to  me  by 
my  friend,  Mr.  Newton.  The  first  represents  the  same  part 
as  the  Assyrian  "grove."  It  may  appropriately  be  called 
the  Holy  Yoni.  The  book  in  question  contains  numerous 
figures,  all  resembling  closely  the  Mesopotamian  emblem  of 
Ishtar.  The  presence  of  the  woman  therein  identifies  the 
two  as  symbolic  of  Isis,  or  la  nature;  and  a  man  bowing 
down  in  adoration  thereof  shows  the  same  idea  as  is  depicted 
in  Assyrian  sculptures,  where  males  oifer  to  the  goddess 
symbols  of  themselves.  Compare  Figs.  63,  64,  65,  66, 
pp.  48  seq. 


92 

If  I  had  been  able  to  search  through  the  once  cele- 
brated Alexandrian  library,  it  is  doubtful  whether  I 
could  have  found  any  pictorial  representation  more  illus- 
trative of  the  relationship  of  certain  symbolic  forms  to 
each  other  than  is  Figure  138.  A  circle  of  angelic  heads, 


Figure  138. 

forming  a  sort  of  sun,  having  luminous  rays  outside,  and  a 
dove,  the  emblem  of  Venus,  dart  a  spear  (la  pique)  down 
upon  the  earth  (la  terre),  or  the  virgin.  This  being  received, 
fertility  follows.  In  Grecian  story,  Ouranos  and  Ge,  or 
heaven  and  earth,  were  the  parents  of  creation  ;  and  Jupiter 
came  from  heaven  to  impregnate  Alcmena.  The  same 
mythos  prevailed  throughout  all  civilised  nations.  Christian- 
ity adopted  the  idea,  merely  altering  the  names  of  the 
respective  parents,  and  attributed  the  regeneration  of  the 
world  to  "holy  breath"  and  Mary.  Every  individual,  indeed, 
extraordinarily  conspicuous  for  wisdom,  power,  goodness, 


93 

etc.,  is  said  to  have  been  begotten  on  a  woman  by  a  celestial 
father.  Within  the  vesica  piscis,  artists  usually  represent 
the  virgin  herself,  with  or  without  the  child ;  in  the  figure 
before  us  the  child  takes  her  place.  It  is  difficult  to  believe 
that  the  ecclesiastics  who  sanctioned  the  publication  of  such 
a  print  could  have  been  as  ignorant  as  modern  ritualists.  It 
is  equally  difficult  to  believe  that  the  latter,  if  they  knew  the 
real  meaning  of  the  symbols  commonly  used  by  the  Roman 
church,  would  adopt  them. 

The  last  two  figures,  symbolic  of  adoration  before  divine 
sexual  emblems,  afford  me  the  opportunity  to  give  a  descrip- 
tion of  a  similar  worship  existent  in  Hindostan  at  the  present 
time.  My  authority  is  H.  H.  Wilson,  in  Essays  on  the 
Religion  of  the  Hindoos,  Triibner  and  Co.,  London.  "  The 
worshippers,"  he  remarks,  vol.  i.,  p.  240,  "  of  the  Sakti,  the 
power  or  energy  of  the  divine  nature  in  action,  are  exceedingly 
numerous  amongst  all  classes  of  Hindoos — about  three- 
fourths  are  of  this  sect,  while  only  a  fifth  are  Vaishnavas  and 
a  sixteenth  Saivas.  This  active  energy  is  personified,  and  the 
form  with  which  it  is  invested  depends  upon  the  bias  of  the 
individuals.  The  most  favourite  form  is  that  of  Parvati, 
Bhavani,  or  Durga,  the  wife  of  Siva,  or  Mahadeva." 

"  The  worship  of  the  female  principle,  as  distinct  from  the 
divinity,  appears  to  have  originated  in  the  literal  interpretation 
of  the  metaphorical  language  of  the  Vedas,  in  which  the  u-itt 
or  purpose  to  create  the  universe  is  represented  as  originating 
from  the  creator,  and  consistent  with  him  as  his  bride."  "  The 
Sama-veda,  for  example,  says,  the  creator  felt  not  delight  being 
alone  ;  he  wished  another,  and  caused  his  own  self  to  fall  in 
twain,  and  thus  became  husband  and  wife.  He  approached 
her,  and  thus  were  human  beings  produced."  A  sentiment  or 
statement  which  we  may  notice  in  passing  is  very  similar  to 
that  propounded  in  Genesis,  ch.  i.  27,  and  v.  1,  2,  respecting 
Elohim — viz.,  that  he  created  man  and  woman  in  his  own 
image,  i.e.,  as  male  and  female,  bisexual  but  united — an 
androgyne. 


94 

"  This  female  principle  goes  by  innumerable  cognomens, 
inasmuch  as  every  goddess,  every  nymph,  and  all  women  are 
identified  with  it.  She — the  principle  personified — is  the 
mother  of  all,  as  Mahadeva,  the  male  principle,  is  the  father 
of  all." 

"  The  homage  rendered  to  the  Sakti  may  be  done  before  an 
image  of  any  goddess  —  Prakriti,  Lakshmi,  Bhavani,  Durga, 
Maya,  Parvati,  or  Devi — -just  in  the  same  way  as  Romanists 
may  pray  to  a  local  Mary,  or  any  other.  But  in  accordance 
with  the  weakness  of  human  nature,  there  are  many  who 
consider  it  right  to  pay  their  devotions  to  the  thing  itself 
rather  than  to  an  abstraction.  In  this  form  of  worship  six 
elements  are  required,  flesh,  fish,  wine,  women,  gesticu- 
lations and  mantras  which  consist  of  various  unmeaning 
monosyllabic  combinations  of  letters  of  great  imaginary 


"  The  ceremonies  are  mostly  gone  through  in  a  mixed 
society,  the  Sakti  being  personified  by  a  naked  female,  to 
whom  meat  and  wine  are  offered  and  then  distributed 
amongst  the  company.  These  eat  and  drink  alternately  with 
gesticulations  and  mantras— and  when  the  religious  part  of 
the  business  is  over,  the  males  and  females  rush  together  and 
indulge  in  a  wild  orgy.  This  ceremony  is  entitled  the  Sri 
Chakra  or  Purnabhisheka,  the  Ring  or  Full  Initiation." 

In  a  note  apparently  by  the  editor,  Dr.  Rost,  a  full 
account  is  given  in  Sanscrit  of  the  Sakti  Sodhana,  as  they 
are  prescribed  in  the  Devi  Rahasya,  a  section  of  the  Rudra 
Ydmala,  so  as  to  prove  to  his  readers  that  the  Sri  Chakra  is 
performed  under  a  religious  prescription. 

We  learn  that  the  woman  should  be  an  actress,  dancing 
girl,  a  courtesan,  washerwoman,  barber's  wife,  flower-girl, 
milk-maid,  or  a  female  devotee.  The  ceremony  is  to  take 
place  at  midnight  with  eight,  nine,  or  eleven  couples.  At 
first  there  are  sundry  mantras  said,  then  the  female  is 
disrobed,  but  richly  ornamented,  and  is  placed  on  the  left 
of  a  circle  (Chakra)  described  for  the  purpose,  and  after 


95 


sundry  gesticulations,  mantras,  and  formulas  she  is  purified 
by  being  sprinkled  over  with  wine.  If  a  novice,  the  girl  has 
the  radical  mantra  whispered  thrice  in  her  ear.  Feasting 
then  follows,  lest  Venus  should  languish  in  the  absence  of 
Ceres  and  Bacchus,  and  now,  when  the  veins  are  full  of  rich 
blood,  the  actors  are  urged  to  do  what  desire  dictates,  but 
never  to  be  so  carried  away  by  their  zeal  as  to  neglect  the 
holy  mantras  appropriate  to  every  act  and  to  every  stage 
thereof.* 

It    is   natural   that   such   a  religion   should  be  popular, 
especially  amongst  the  young  of  both  sexes. 

Figures   139   to   153    are   copied  from    Moor's    Hindu 
Pantheon  ;  they  are  sectarial  marks  in  India,  and  are  usually 


0    o 


Fig.  139. 


Fig.  140. 


Fig.  141. 


V 

Fig.  142. 


Fig.  143. 


Fig.  144. 


W 

Fig.  145. 


Fig.  146. 


Fig.  147. 


Fig.  148. 


Fig.  152.  Fig.  153. 

traced  on  the  forehead.     Many  resemble  what  are  known  as 
"mason's   marks,"  i.  e.,  designs   found   on   tooled   stones, 

*  The  above  quotations  from  Wilson's  work  are  selections  from  his  and  his 
Editor's  account.  In  the  original  the  observations  extend  over  eighteen  pages,  and 
are  too  long  to  be  given  in  their  entirety :  the  parts  omitted  are  of  no  consequence. 


96 

in  various  ancient  edifices,  like  our  own,  "  trade  marks." 
They  are  introduced  here  to  illustrate  the  various  designs 
employed  to  indicate  the  union  of  the  "trinity"  with  the 
"unity,"  and  the  numerous  forms  representative  of  "la 
nature."  A  priori,  it  appears  absurd  to  suppose  that  the 
eye  could  ever  have  been  symbolical  of  anything  but  sight ; 
but  the  mythos  of  Indra,  given  in  Ancient  Faiths,  second 
edition,  Vol.  n.,  p.  649,  and  p.  7  supra,  proves  that  it  has 
another  and  a  hidden  meaning.  These  figures  are  alike 
emblematic  of  the  "trinity,"  "the  virgin,"  and  the  "four." 

Figure  154  is  from  Pugin,  plate  v.,  figure  3.     It  is  the 
outline  of  a  pectoral  ornament  worn  by  some  Roman  eccle- 


Figure  154. 

siastic  in  Italy,  A.  D.  1400 ;  it  represents  the  Egyptian  crux 
ansata  under  another  form,  the  "J"  signifying  the  triad,  the 
O  the  unit. 

Figures  155,  156,  are  different  forms  of  the  sistrum,  one 
of  the  emblems  of  Isis.  In  the  latter,  the  triple  bars  have 
one  signification,  which  will  readily  suggest  itself  to  those 
who  know  the  meaning  of  the  triad.  In  the  former,  the 
emblem  of  the  trinity,  which  we  have  been  obliged  to  con- 
ventionalise, is  shown  in  a  distinct  manner.  The  cross  bars 
indicate  that  Isis  is  a  virgin.  The  cat  at  the  top  of  the 
instrument  indicates  "  desire,"  Cupid,  or  Eros.  Fig.  155 
is  copied  from  plate  ix.,  E.  P.  Knight's  Worship  of  Priapus. 

Figure  157  represents  the  cup  and  wafer,  to  be  found 
in  the  hands  of  many  effigies  of  papal  bishops  ;  they 
are  alike  symbolic  of  the  sun  and  moon,  and  of  the 
elements  in  the  Eucharist.  See  Pugin,  plate  iv.,  figs. 
5,6. 


97 


Figure  158  is  copied  from  Lajard,  plate  xv.,  tig.  6.     It 


represents  a  temple  in  a  conventional  form  ;   whilst  below, 
Ceres  appears  seated  within  a  horse-shoe  shaped  ornament. 


Figure  156. 


Figur 


This,  amongst  other  symbols,  tends  to  show  what  we  have  so 
frequently  before  observed,   that  the  female  in  creation  is 


Figure  158. 

characterised  by  a  great  variety  of  designs,   of  which  the 
succeeding  woodcuts  give  us  additional  evidence. 

Figure  159  represents  the  various  forms  symbolic  of 
Juno,  Isis,  Parvati,  Ishtar,  Mary,  or  woman,  or  the 
virgin. 


Figure  159. 

Figures  160,  161,  162,  are  copied  from  Audsley's  Chris- 
tian Symbolism  (London,  1868).  They  are  ornaments  worn 
by  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  represent  her  as  the  crescent  moon, 


99 


conjoined  with   the   cross    (in   Fig.    160),   with   the   collar 


Figure  160. 


Figure  162. 


Figure  161. 

of    Isis   (in   Fig.  161),  and    with   the   double  triangle  (in 
Fig.  162). 

Figure    163  represents   a   tortoise.     When   one   sees  a 


Figure  163. 

resemblance  between  this  creature's  head  and  neck  and  the 
linga,  one  can  understand  why  both  in  India  and  in  Greece  the 
animal  should  be  regarded  as  sacred  to  the  goddess  personi- 
fying the  female  creator,  and  why  in  Hindoo  myths  it  is 
said  to  support  the  world. 

In  the  British  Museum  there  are  three  Assyrian  obelises, 
all  of  which  represent,  in  the  most  conspicuous  way,  the 
phallus,  one  of  which  has  been  apparently  circumcised.  The 
body  is  occupied  with  an  inscription  recording  the  sale  of  land, 
and  also  a  figure  of  the  reigning  king,  whilst  upon  the  part 
known  as  the  glans  penis  are  a  number  of  symbols,  which 
are  intended  apparently  to  designate  the  generative  powers 
in  creation.  The  male  is  indicated  by  a  serpent,  a  spear 
head,  a  hare,  a  tiara,  a  cock,  and  a  tortoise.  The  female 


100 

appears  under  precisely  the  same  form  as  is  seen  on  the  head 
of  the  Egyptian  Isis,  Fig.  28.  The  tortoise  is  to  this  day  a 
masculine  emblem  in  Japan.  See  Figs.  174,  175. 

But  there  is  no  necessity  for  the  animal  itself  always 
to  be  depicted,  inasmuch  as  I  have  discovered  that  both  in 
Assyrian  and  Greek  art  the  tortoise  is  pourtrayed  under  the 


figure 


which  resembles  somewhat  the  markings  upon 


the  segments  into  which  the  shell  is  divided.  In  symbolism 
it  is  a  very  common  thing  for  a  part  to  stand  for  the  whole  ; 
thus  an  egg  is  made  to  do  duty  for  the  triad ;  and  a  man 
is  sometimes  represented  by  a  spade.  A  woman  is  in  like 
manner  represented  by  a  comb,  or  a  mirror;  and  a  golden 
fleece  typifies  in  the  first  place  the  "  grove,"  which  it  over- 
shadows, and  the  female  who  possesses  both. 

It  has  been  stated  on  page  19  supra,  that  Pausanias 
mentions  having  seen  at  some  place  in  Greece  one  figure  of 
Venus  standing  on  a  tortoise,  and  another  upon  a  ram, 
but  he  leaves  to  the  ingenious  to  discover  why  the  association 
takes  place. 

It  was  this  intimation  which  led  me  to  identify  the 
tortoise  as  a  male  symbol.  Any  person  who  has  ever 
watched  this  creature  in  repose,  and  seen  the  action  of  the 
head  and  neck  when  the  quadruped  is  excited,  will  recognise 
why  the  animal  is  dear  to  the  goddess  of  amorous  delight, 
and  that  which  it  may  remind  her  of.  In  like  manner,  those 
who  are  familiar  with  the  ram  will  know  that  it  is  remarkable 
for  persistent  and  excessive  vigour.  Like  the  cat,  whose 
salacity  caused  it  to  be  honoured  in  Egypt,  the  ram  was  in 
that  country  also  sacred,  as  the  bull  was  in  Assyria  and 
Hindostan. 

In  fact,  everything  which  in  shape,  habits,  or  sound 
could  remind  mankind  of  the  creators  and  of  the  first  part  of 
creation  was  regarded  with  reverence.  Thus  tall  stones  or 
natural  pinnacles  of  rock,  the  palm,  pine,  and  oak  trees,  the 
fig  tree  and  the  ivy,  with  their  tripliform  leaves,  the 


101 

mandrake,  with  its  strange  human  form,  the  thumb 
and  finger,  symbolised  Bel,  Baal,  Asher,  or  Mahadeva.  In 
like  manner  a  hole  in  the  ground,  a  crevice  in  a  rock,  a  deep 
cave,  the  myrtle  from  the  shape  of  its  leaf,  the  fish  from  its 
scent,  the  dolphin  and  the  mullet  from  their  names,  the 
dove  from  its  note,  and  any  umbrageous  retreat  surrounded 
with  thick  bushes,  were  symbolic  of  woman. 

So  also  the  sword  and  sheath,  the  arrow  and  target,  the 
spear  and  shield,  the  plough  and  furrow,  the  spade  and 
trench,  the  pillar  by  a  well,  the  thumb  thrust  between  the 
two  fore-fingers  or  grasped  by  the  hand,  and  a  host  of  other 
things  were  typical  of  the  union  which  brings  about  the 
formation  of  a  new  being. 

I  cannot  help  regarding  the  sexual  element  as  the  key 
which  opens  almost  every  lock  of  symbolism,  and  however 
much  we  may  dislike  the  idea  that  modern  religionists  have 
adopted  emblems  of  an  obscene  worship,  we  cannot  deny  the 
fact  that  it  is  so,  and  we  may  hope  that  with  a  knowledge  of 
their  impurity  we  shall  cease  to  have  a  faith  based  upon  a 
trinity  and  virgin — a  lingam  and  a  yoni.  Some  may  cling 
still  to  such  a  doctrine,  but  to  me  it  is  simply  horrible — 
blasphemous  and  heathenish. 

Figures  164,  165,  represent  a  pagan  and  Christian  cross 
and  trinity.  The  first  is  copied  from  R.  P.  Knight  (plate  x., 


I 


Figure  164.  Figure  165. 

fig.  1),  and  represents  a  figure  found  on  an  ancient  coin  of 
Apollonia.  The  second  may  be  seen  in  any  of  our  churches 
to-day. 

Figure  166  is  from  an  old  papal  book  lent  to  me  by  Mr. 
Newton,  Missale  Romanum,  illustrated  by  a  monk  (Venice, 


102 

1509).     It  represents  a  confessor  of  the  Roman  church,  who 
wears  the  crux  ansata,   the   Egyptian  symbol  of  life,  the 


Figure  166. 

emblem  of   the   four   creators,   in    the   place  of  the   usual 
pallium.     It  is  remarkable  that  a  Christian  church  should 
have  adopted  so  many  pagan  symbols  as  Rome  has  done. 
Figure  167  is   copied   from    a   small   bronze   figure   in 


Figure  167. 


103 


the  Mayer  collection  in  the  Free  Museum,  Liverpool.  It 
represents  the  feminine  creator  holding  a  well  marked  lingam 
in  her  hand,  and  is  thus  emblematic  of  the  four,  or  the 
trinity  and  the  virgin. 

Figure  168  represents  two  Egyptian  deities  in  worship 
before  an  emblem  of  the  male,  which  closely  resembles 
an  Irish  round  tower. 


Figure  168. 

Figure  169  represents  the  modern  pallium  worn  by 
iioman  priests.  It  represents  the  ancient  sistrum  of  Isis, 
and  the  yoni  of  the  Hindoos.  It  is  symbolic  of  the  celestial 
virgin,  and  the  unit  in  the  creative  four.  When  donned 
by  a  Christian  priest,  he  resembles  the  pagan  male  wor- 
shippers, who  wore  a  female  dress  when  they  ministered 
before  the  altar  or  shrine  of  a  goddess.  Possibly  the 
Hebrew  ephod  was  of  this  form  and  nature. 


Figure 


Figure  170. 


Figure  170  is  a  copy  of  an  ancient  pallium,  worn  by 
papal  ecclesiastics  three  or  four  centuries  ago.  It  is  the  old 
Egyptian  symbol  described  above.  Its  common  name  is 
crux  ansata,  or  the  cross  with  a  handle. 


104 

Figure    171    is    the   albe   worn    by   Roman    and    other 
ecclesiastics   when  officiating   at   mass,    etc.     It   is   simply 


Figure  171. 

a  copy  of  the  chemise  ordinarily  worn  by  women  as  an  under 
garment. 

Figure  172  represents  the  chasuble  worn  by  papal  hier- 
archs.  It  is  copied  from  Pugin's  Glossary,  etc.  Its  form  is 
that  of  the  vesica  piscis,  one  of  the  most  common  emblems 
of  the  yoni.  It  is  adorned  by  the  triad.  When  worn  by 
the  priest,  he  forms  the  male  element,  and  with  the  chasuble 
completes  the  sacred  four.  When  worshipping  the  ancient 
goddesses,  whom  Mary  has  displaced,  the  officiating  ministers 
clothed  themselves  in  feminine  attire.  Hence  the  use  of  the 
chemise,  etc.  Even  the  tonsured  head,  adopted  from  the 
priests  of  the  Egyptian  Isis,  represents  "  V  anneau; "  so  that 
on  head,  shoulders,  breast  and  body,  we  may  see  on  Christian 
priests  the  relics  of  the  worship  of  Venus,  and  the  adoration 
of  woman  !  How  horrible  all  this  would  sound  if,  instead  of 
using  veiled  language,  we  had  employed  vulgar  words.  The 


105 

idea  of  a  man  adorning  himself,  when  ministering  before  God 
and  the  people,  with  the  effigies  of  those  parts  which  nature 


Figure  172. 

as  well  as  civilisation  teaches  us  to  conceal,  would  be  simply 
disgusting,  but  when  all  is  said  to  be  mysterious  and  con- 
nected with  hidden  signification,  almost  everybody  tolerates 
and  many  eulogise  or  admire  it ! 


107 


APPENDIX. 

THE  ASSYKIAN  "GROVE"  AND  OTHER  EMBLEMS, 

BY 

JOHN    NEWTON,    M.  E.  C.  S. 

The  study  of  sacred  symbols  is  as  yet  in  its  infancy.  It 
has  hitherto  been  almost  ignored  by  sacerdotal  historians ; 
and  thus  a  rich  mine  of  knowledge  on  the  most  interesting 
of  all  subjects — the  history  of  the  Religious  Idea  in  man  — 
remains  comparatively  unexplored.  The  topic  has  a  two-fold 
interest,  for  it  equally  applies  to  the  present  and  the  past. 
As  nothing  on  earth  is  more  conservative  than  religion,  we 
have  still  a  world  of  symbolism  existing  amongst  us  which  is 
far  older  than  our  sects  and  books,  our  creeds  and  articles, 
a  relic  of  a  forgotten,  pre-historic  past.  Untold  ages  before 
writing  was  invented,  it  is  believed  that  men  attempted 
to  express  their  ideas  in  visible  forms.  Yet  how  can  a 
savage,  who  is  unable  to  count  his  fingers  up  to  five,  and  has 
no  idea  of  abstract  number,  apart  from  things,  whose  habits 
and  thoughts  are  of  the  earth,  earthy,  form  a  conception  of 
the  high  and  holy  One  who  inhabiteth  eternity?  Even 
under  the  highest  forms  of  ancient  civilisation,  abundant 
proofs  exist  that  the  imagination  of  men,  brooding  over 
the  idea  of  the  Unseen  and  the  Infinite,  were  bounded  by 
the  things  which  were  presented  in  their  daily  experience, 
and  which  most  moved  their  passions,  hopes  and  fears. 
Through  these,  then,  they  attempted  to  embody  such  reli- 
gious ideas  as  they  felt.  They  could  not  teach  others  with- 
out visible  symbols  to  assist  their  conceptions ;  and  emblems 
were  rather  crutches  for  the  halting  than  wings  to  help  the 
healthy  to  soar.  Mankind  in  all  ages  has  clung  to  the 
visible  and  tangible.  The  people  care  little  for  the  abstract 


108 

and  unseen.  The  Israelites  preferred  a  calf  of  gold  to  the 
invisible  Jehovah ;  and  sensuous  forms  of  worship  still  fasci- 
nate the  multitude. 

Whilst  studying  a  collection  of  symbols,  gathered  from 
many  climes  and  ages,  such  as  this  volume  presents,  I  feel 
sure  that  every  intelligent  student  will  have  asked  himself 
more  than  once — Is  there  not  some  key  which  unlocks  these 
enigmas,  some  grand  idea  which  runs  through  them  all, 
connecting  them  like  a  string  of  beads  ?  I  believe  that  there 
is,  and  that  it  is  not  far  to  seek.  What  do  men  desire  and 
long  for  most  ?  Life.  "  Skin  for  skin ;  all  that  a  man 
hath  will  he  give  for  his  life,"  is  a  saying  as  true  now  as  in 
the  days  of  Job.  "  Give  me  back  my  youth,  and  I  will  give 
you  all  I  possess,"  was  said  by  the  aged  Voltaire  to  his 
physician.  And  our  poet  laureate  has  sung, 

'T  is  Life,  whereof  our  nerves  are  scant, 
O  life,  not  death,  for  which  we  pant ; 
More  life,  and  fuller,  that  I  want. 

But  we  must  add,  as  necessarily  contained  in  the  idea  of 
Life  in  its  highest  sense,  those  things  which  make  Life 
desirable. 

This  fulness  of  life  has  been  the  summum  bonum,  the 
highest  good,  which  mankind  has  sighed  for  in  every  age 
and  clime.  For  this  the  alchemists  toiled,  not  to  advance 
chemistry,  but  to  discover  the  Elixir  of  Life  and  the  Philo- 
sopher's Stone.  But  what  nature  refused  to  science,  the 
gods,  it  was  believed,  would  surely  give  to  the  pious !  and 
the  glorious  prize  referred  to  has  been  promised  by  every 
religion.  "  I  am  come  that  they  might  have  Life,  and  that 
they  might  have  it  more  abundantly."  Life  is  the  reward 
which  has  been  promised  under  every  system,  including  that 
of  the  founder  of  Christianity.  A  Tree  of  Life  stood  in  the 
midst  of  that  Paradise  which  is  described  in  the  book  of 
Genesis ;  and  when  the  first  human  couple  disobeyed  their 
Maker's  command,  they  were  punished  by  being  cut  off  from 


109 

the  perennial  fount  of  vitality,  lest  they  should  eat  its  fruit 
and  thus  live  for  ever ;  and  in  a  second  Paradise,  which  is 
promised  to  the  blessed  by  the  author  of  the  book  of  Revela- 
tion, a  tree  of  life  shall  stand  once  more  "  for  the  healing  of 
the  nations."  To  the  good  man  is  promised,  in  the  Hebrew 
Scriptures,  long  life,  prosperity,  and  a  numerous  offspring. 
"  Thy  youth  is  renewed  like  the  eagle's."*  Ps.  ciii.  5. 

In  the  wondrous  theology  of  Ancient  Egypt,  which  at 
length  is  open  to  us,  the  "  Ritual  of  the  Dead  "  celebrates 
the  mystical  reconstruction  of  the  body  of  the  deceased, 
whose  parts  are  to  be  reunited,  as  those  of  Osiris  were  by 
Isis;  the  trials  are  recorded  through  which  the  deceased 
passes,  and  by  which  all  remaining  stains  of  corruption  are 
wiped  away;  and  the  record  ends  when  the  defunct  is  born 
again  glorious,  like  that  Sun  which  typified  the  Egyptian 
resurrection,  t 

In  the  ancient  mythology  of  India,  it  is  recounted  that 
of  old  the  gods  in  council  united  together  to  procure,  by  one 
supreme  effort,  the  Amrita  cup  of  immortality,  which,  after 
the  success  of  their  scheme,  they  partake  of  with  their 
worshippers.  Even  for  the  Buddhist,  his  cold,  atheistical 
creed  promises  a  Nirvana,  an  escape  from  the  horrors  of 
metempsychosis,  a  haven  of  eternal  calm,  where  "  there 
shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor  crying,  neither 
shall  there  be  any  more  pain,  for  the  former  things  are  passed 
away; "  "  there  the  weary  be  at  rest."  Rev.  xxi.  4,  Job  iii.  17. 

This  idea  of  tranquillity  is  in  striking  contrast  to  the 
heaven  promised  by  the  religion  of  the  north  of  Europe, 
which  was  the  one  most  congenial  to  a  people  whose  delight 
was  in  conquest  and  battle.  Those  who  had  led  a  life  of 
heroism,  or  perished  bravely  in  fight,  ascended  to  Valhalla ; 
and  the  eternal  manhood  which  awaited  them  there  was  to 

*  St.  Paul  points  out  (Eph.  vi.  2)  that  to  only  one  of  the  ten  commandments  is  a 
promise  added.  And  what  is  the  promise  ?  "  That  thy  days  may  be  long." 
(Exod.  xx.  12.)  See  also  Psalm  cxxxiii.  3,  "  the  blessing,  even  life  for  evermore." 

f  Apuleius,  who  had  been  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  Isis,  informs  us  that 
long  life  was  the  reward  promised  to  her  votaries.  (Metam.  cap.  xi.) 


110 

be  passed  in  scenes  that  were  rapture  to  the  imagination  of  a 
Dane  or  a  Saxon.  Every  day  in  that  abode  of  bliss  was  to 
be  spent  in  furious  conflict,  in  the  struggle  of  armies  and 
the  cleaving  of  shields  ;  but  at  evening  the  conflict  was  to 
cease  ;  every  wound  to  be  suddenly  healed.  Then  the  con- 
tending warriors  were  to  sit  down  to  a  banquet,  where, 
attended  by  lovely  maidens,  they  could  feast  on  the  exhaust- 
less  flesh  of  the  boar  Saehrimnir,  and  drink  huge  draughts  of 
mead  from  the  skulls  of  those  enemies  who  had  not  attained 
to  the  glories  of  Valhalla. 

The  paradise  promised  to  the  faithful  by  Mahomet  is  full 
of  sensuous  delights.  The  Arabian  prophet  dwells  with 
rapture  on  its  gardens  and  palaces,  its  rivers  and  bowers. 
Seventy-two  houris,  or  black-eyed  girls,  rejoicing  in  beauty 
and  ever-blooming  youth,  will  be  created  for  the  use  of  the 
meanest  believer ;  a  moment  of  pleasure  will  be  prolonged 
to  a  thousand  years,  and  his  powers  will  be  increased  a 
hundred-fold  to  render  him  worthy  of  his  felicity. 

Thus  we  see  that  in  all  these  great  historical  faiths  the 
prize  held  out  to  the  true  believer  has  this  in  common,  viz., 
Life,  overflowing,  ever-renewed,  with  the  addition  of  those 
things  which  make  life  desirable  for  men ;  whether  they  are 
sensuous  pleasures,  or  those  which,  under  the  loftier  ideal  of 
Christianity,  are  summed  up  in  Life,  both  temporal  and 
eternal,  in  the  light  of  God. 

Such  being  the  case,  we  might  anticipate  that  the 
symbols  of  every  religion  would  reproduce,  in  some  shape  or 
other,  the  ideal  which  is  common  to  all.  The  earliest  and 
rudest  faiths  were  content  with  gross  and  simple  emblems  of 
life.  In  the  later  and  more  refined  forms  of  worship,  the 
ruder  types  were  highly  conventionalised,  and  replaced 
by  a  more  intricate  and  less  obvious  symbolism. 

We  proceed  now  to  investigate  the  more  primitive 
emblems.  The  origin  of  life  is,  even  to  us,  with  all  our 
lights,  as  great  a  mystery  as  it  was  to  the  ancients.  To  the 
primitive  races  of  mankind  the  formation  of  a  new  being 


Ill 

appeared  to  be  a  constant  miracle,  and  men  very  naturally 
used  as  tokens  of  life,  and  even  worshipped,  those  objects 
or  organs  by  which  the  miracle  appeared  to  be  wrought. 
Thus,  the  glorious  sun,  that  "  god  of  this  world,"  the  source 
of  life  and  light  to  our  earth,  was  early  adored,  and  an  effigy 
thereof  used  as  a  symbol.  Mankind  watched  with  rapture 
its  rays  gain  strength  daily  in  the  Spring,  until  the  golden 
glories  of  Midsummer  had  arrived,  when  the  earth  was 
bathed  during  the  longest  days  in  his  beams,  which  ripened 
the  fruits  that  his  returning  course  had  started  into  life. 
When  the  sun  once  more  began  its  course  downwards  to  the 
Winter  solstice,  his  votaries  sorrowed,  for  he  seemed  to 
sicken  and  grow  paler  at  the  advent  of  December,  when  his 
rays  scarcely  reached  the  earth,  and  all  nature,  benumbed 
and  cold,  sunk  into  a  death-like  sleep.  Hence  feasts  and 
fasts  were  instituted  to  mark  the  commencement  of  the 
various  phases  of  the  solar  year,  which  have  continued  from 
the  earliest  known  period,  under  various  names,  to  our  own 
times. 

The  daily  disappearance  and  the  subsequent  rise  of 
the  sun,  appeared  to  many  of  the  ancients  as  a  true  resur- 
rection ;  thus,  while  the  east  came  to  be  regarded  as  the 
source  of  light  and  warmth,  happiness  and  glory,  the  west 
was  associated  with  darkness  and  chill,  decay  and  death. 
This  led  to  the  common  custom  of  burying  the  dead  so  as  to 
face  the  east  when  they  rose  again,  and  of  building  temples 
and  shrines  with  an  opening  towards  the  east.  To  effect 
this,  Vitruvius,  two  thousand  years  ago,  gave  precise  rules, 
which  are  still  followed  by  Christian  architects. 

Sun-worship  was  spread  all  over  the  ancient  world.  It 
mingled  with  other  faiths  and  assumed  many  forms.*  Of  the 
elements,  fire  was  naturally  chosen  as  its  earthly  symbol. 
A  sacred  fire,  at  first  miraculously  kindled,  and  subsequently 

*  We  may  point  out  that,  according  to  all  the  Gospels,  Christ  expired  towards 
suDHet,  and  the  sun  became  eclipsed  as  he  was  dying.  He  rose  again  exactly  at  day- 
break. 


112 

kept  up  by  the  sedulous  care  of  priests  or  priestesses,  formed 
an  important  part  of  the  religions  of  Judea,  Babylonia, 
Persia,  Greece  and  Home,  and  the  superstition  lingers 
amongst  us  still.  So  late  as  the  advent  of  the  Reformation, 
a  sacred  fire  was  kept  ever  burning  on  a  shrine  at  Kildare, 
in  Ireland,  and  attended  by  virgins  of  high  rank,  called 
"  inghean  au  dagha,"  or  daughters  of  fire.  Every  year  is 
the  ceremony  repeated  at  Jerusalem  of  the  miraculous  kin- 
dling of  the  Holy  Fire  at  the  reputed  sepulchre,  and  men  and 
women  crowd  to  light  tapers  at  the  sacred  flame,  which  they 
pass  through  with  a  naked  body.  Indeed,  solar  myths 
form  no  unimportant  part  of  ancient  mythology.  Thus 
the  death  of  nature  in  the  winter  time,  through  the  with- 
drawal of  the  sun,  was  supposed  to  be  caused  by  the  mourn- 
ing of  the  earth-goddess  over  the  sickness  and  disappearance 
into  the  realms  of  darkness  of  her  husband  and  mate,  the 
sun. 

Mr.  Fox  Talbot  has  lately  given  the  translation  of  an 
Egyptian  poem,  more  than  three  thousand  years  old,  and 
having  for  its  subject  the  descent  of  Ishtar  into  Hades.  To 
this  region  of  darkness  and  death  the  goddess  goes  in  search 
of  her  beloved  Osiris,  or  Tammuz.  This  Ishtar  is  identical 
with  the  Assyrian  female  in  the  celestial  quartette,  the  later 
Phoenician  Astarte,  "  The  Queen  of  Heaven  with  crescent 
horns,"  the  moon-goddess,  also  with  the  Greek  Aphrodite 
and  Roman  Venus ;  and  the  Egyptian  legend  reappears  in 
the  west  as  the  mourning  of  Venus  for  the  loss  of  Adonis. 

Again,  the  fable  of  Ceres  mourning  the  death  of  her 
daughter  Proserpine  is  another  sun-myth.  The  Roman 
Ceres  was  the  Greek  A^TTJP,  or  yrj  M^p,  Mother  Earth, 
who  through  the  winter  time  wanders  inconsolable.  Per- 
sephone, her  daughter,  is  the  vegetable  world,  whose  seeds 
or  roots  lie  concealed  underground  in  the  darkness  of 
winter.  These,  when  Spring  comes  with  its  brightness, 
bud  forth  and  dwell  in  the  realms  of  light  during  a  part  of 
the  year,  and  provide  ample  nourishment  for  men  and 


113 

animals  with  their  fruits.  The  sun,  being  the  active  fructi- 
fying cause  in  nature,  was  generally  regarded  as  male.  Thus, 
in  the  Jewish  scriptures,  he  is  compared  to  "  a  bridegroom 
coming  out  of  his  chamber"  (Ps.  xix.  5),  i.e.,  as  a  man  full 
of  generative,  procreative  vigour.  The  moon  and  the  earth, 
being  receptive  only,  were  naturally  regarded  as  female. 

At  the  vernal  equinox,  the  ancients  celebrated  the  bridal 
of  the  sun  and  the  earth.  Yet,  inasmuch  as  the  orbs  of  heaven 
and  the  face  of  nature  remain  the  same  from  year  to  year,  and 
perpetually  renew  light  and  life,  themselves  remaining  fresh 
in  vigour  and  unharmed  by  age,  the  ancients  conceived  the 
bride  and  mate  of  the  sun-god  as  continuing  ever  virgin. 
Again,  as  the  ancient  month  was  always  reckoned  by  the 
interval  between  one  new  moon  and  the  next, —  an  interval 
which  also  marks  a  certain  recurring  event  in  women, 
that  ceases  at  once  on  the  occurrence  of  pregnancy, — the 
lunar  crescent  became  a  symbol  of  virginity,  and  as  such 
adorns  the  brow  of  the  Greek  Artemis  and  Koman  Diana. 
This  was  used  as  a  talisman  at  a  very  remote  period,  and 
was  fixed  over  the  doors  of  the  early  lake-dwellers  in  Switzer- 
land, like  the  horse-shoe  is  to  modern  side-posts.  With  the 
sun  and  moon  were  often  associated  the  five  visible  planets, 
forming  a  sacred  seven, —  a  figure  which  is  continually  crop- 
ping up  in  religious  emblems. 

So  much  for  the  great  cosmic  symbols  of  Life.  But  the 
primitive  races  of  mankind  found  others  nearer  home,  and 
still  more  suggestive  —  the  generative  parts  in  the  two  sexes, 
by  the  union  of  which  all  animated  life,  and  mankind,  the 
most  interesting  of  all  to  human  beings,  appeared  to  be 
created.  This  reverence  for,  or  worship  of,  the  organs  of 
generation,  has  been  traced  to  a  very  early  period  in  the 
history  of  the  human  race.  In  a  bone-cave  recently  exca- 
vated near  Venice,  and  beneath  its  ten  feet  of  stalagmite, 
were  found  bones  of  animals,  flint  implements,  a  bone 
needle,  and  a  phallus  in  baked  clay.  And  if  we  turn  to 
those  savage  tribes  who  still  reproduce  for  us  the  pre- 
H 


114 

historic  past,  this  form  of  religious  symbolism  meets  us 
everywhere.  In  Dahomey,  beyond  the  Ashantees,  it  is, 
according  to  Captain  Burton,  most  uncomfortably  prominent. 
In  every  street  of  their  settlements  are  priapic  figures.  The 
"  Tree  of  Life  "  is  anointed  with  palm  oil,  which  drips  into 
a  pot  or  shard  placed  below  it,  and  the  would-be  mother  of 
children  prays  before  the  image  that  the  great  god  Legba 
would  make  her  fertile. 

Burton  tells  us  that  he  peeped  into  an  Egba  temple 
or  lodge,  and  found  it  a  building  with  three  courts,  of  which 
the  innermost  was  a  sort  of  holy  of  holies.  Its  doors  had 
carvings  on  them  of  a  leopard,  a  fish,  a  serpent,  and  a  land 
tortoise.  The  first  two  of  these  are  female  symbols,  the  two 
latter  emblems  of  the  male.  There  were  also  two  rude 
figures  representing  their  god  Obatala,  the  deity  of  life,  who 
is  worshipped  under  two  forms,  a  male  and  a  female.  Oppo- 
site to  these  was  the  male  symbol  or  phallus,  conjoined 
in  coitu  with  the  female  emblem.  Du  Chaillu  met  with 
some  tribes  in  Africa  who  adore  the  female  only.  His  guide, 
he  informs  us,  carried  a  hideous  little  image  of  wood  with 
him,  and  at  every  meal  he  would  take  the  little  fetish  out  of 
his  pocket,  and  pour  a  libation  over  its  feet  before  he  would 
drink  himself. 

We  know  that  a  similar  superstition  prevailed  in  Ireland 
long  after  the  advent  of  Christianity.  There  a  female, 
pointing  to  her  symbol,  was  placed  over  the  portal  of  many 
a  church  as  a  protector  from  evil  spirits  ;  and  the  elaborate 
though  rude  manner  in  which  these  figures  were  sculptured 
shows  that  they  were  considered  as  objects  of  great  import- 
ance. It  was  the  universal  practice  among  the  Arabs  of 
Northern  Africa  to  stick  up  over  the  door  of  their  house  or 
tent  the  genital  parts  of  a  cow,  mare,  or  female  camel,  as  a 
talisman  to  avert  the  influence  of  the  evil  eye.  The  figure  of 
this  organ  being  less  definite  than  that  of  the  male,  it  has 
assumed  in  symbolism  very  various  forms.  The  commonest 
substitution  for  the  part  itself  has  been  a  horse-shoe,  which 


115 

is  to  this  day  fastened  over  many  of  the  doors  of  stables  and 
shippons  in  the  country,  and,  was  formerly  supposed  to  pro- 
tect the  cattle  from  witchcraft.  From  a  lively  story  by 
Beroalde  de  Verville,  we  learn  that  in  France  a  sight  of  the 
female  organ  was  believed,  as  late  as  the  sixteenth  century, 
to  be  a  powerful  charm  in  curing  any  disease  in,  and  for 
prolonging  the  life  of,  the  fortunate  beholder. 

As  civilisation  advanced,  the  gross  symbols  of  creative 
power  were  cast  aside,  and  priestly  ingenuity  was  taxed  to 
the  utmost  in  inventing  a  crowd  of  less  obvious  emblems, 
which  should  represent  the  ancient  ideas  in  a  decorous 
manner.  The  old  belief  was  retained,  but  in  a  mysterious  or 
sublimated  form.  As  symbols  of  the  male,  or  active  element 
in  creation,  the  sun,  light,  fire,  a  torch,  the  phallus  or 
linga,  an  erect  serpent,  a  tall  straight  tree,  especially  the 
palm  and  the  fir  or  pine,  were  adopted.  Equally  useful 
for  symbolism  were  a  tall  upright  stone  (menhir),  a  cone,  a 
pyramid,  a  thumb  or  finger  pointed  straight,  a  mast,  a  rod, 
a  trident,  a  narrow  bottle  or  amphora,  a  bow,  an  arrow,  a 
lance,  a  horse,  a  bull,  a  lion,  and  many  other  animals  conspicu- 
ous for  masculine  power.  As  symbols  of  the  female,  the 
passive  though  fruitful  element  in  creation,  the  crescent 
moon,  the  earth,  darkness,  water,  and  its  emblem  a  triangle 
with  the  apex  downwards,  "  the  yoni,"  a  shallow  vessel  or 
cup  for  pouring  fluid  into  (cratera),  a  ring  or  oval,  a  lozenge, 
any  narrow  cleft,  either  natural  or  artificial,  an  arch  or  door- 
way, were  employed.  In  the  same  category  of  symbols 
came  a  ship  or  boat,  the  female  date-palm  bearing  fruit,  a 
cow  with  her  calf  by  her  side,  the  fish,  fruits  having  many 
seeds,  such  as  the  pomegranate,  a  shell  (concha),  a  cavern, 
a  garden,  a  fountain,  a  bower,  a  rose,  a  fig,  and  other  things 
of  suggestive  form,  etc. 

These  two  great  classes  of  conventional  symbols  were 
often  represented  in  conjunction  with  each  other,  and 
thus  symbolised  in  the  highest  degree  the  great  source  of 
life,  ever  originating,  ever  renewed.  The  Egyptian  temple 


116 

at  Denderah  has  lately  been  explored  by  M.  Mariette.  In  a 
niche  of  the  Holy  of  Holies  he  discovered  the  sacred  secret. 
This  was  simply  a  GOLDEN  SISTRUM  (see  ante,  pp.  44  and 
70),  an  emblem  formed  by  uniting  the  female  oval  0  with  the 
male  sacred  Tau  T ;  and  thus  identical  in  meaning  with  the 
coarse  emblem  seen  by  Captain  Burton  in  the  African  idol 
temple.  A  similar  emblem  is  the  linga  standing  in  the 
centre  of  a  yoni,  the  adoration  of  which  is  to  this  day 
characteristic  of  the  leading  dogma  of  Hindu  religion. 
There  is  scarcely  a  temple  in  India  which  has  not  its  lingam ; 
and  in  numerous  instances  this  symbol  is  the  only  form 
under  which  the  great  god  Siva  is  worshipped.  (See  ante, 
pp.  72,  73.) 

The  linga  is  generally  a  tall,  polished,  cylindrical,  black 
stone,  apparently  inserted  into  another  stone  formed  like  an 
elongated  saucer,  though  in  reality  the  whole  is  sculptured 
out  of  one  block  of  basalt.  The  outline  of  the  frame,  which 
reminds  us  of  a  Jew's  harp  (the  conventional  form  of  the 
female  member),  is  termed  argha  or  yoni.  The  former,  or 
round  perpendicular  stone,  the  type  of  the  virile  organ,  is 
the  linga.  The  entire  symbol,  to  which  the  name  lingyoni 
is  given,  is  also  occasionally  called  lingam.  This  representa- 
tive of  the  union  of  the  sexes  typifies  the  divine  sacti,  or 
productive  energy,  in  union  with  the  procreative,  generative 
power  seen  throughout  nature.  The  earth  was  the  primitive 
pudendum,  or  yoni,  which  is  fecundated  by  the  solar  heat, 
the  sun,  the  primitive  linga,  to  whose  vivifying  rays  man  and 
animals,  plants  and  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  owe  their  being 
and  continued  existence.  These  "  lingas  "  vary  in  size  from 
the  tiny  amulets  worn  about  the  neck,  to  the  great  monoliths 
of  the  temples.  Thus  the  lingam  is  an  emblem  of  the 
Creator,  the  fountain  of  all  life,  who  is  represented  in  Hindu 
mythology  as  uniting  in  Himself  the  two  sexes. 

Another  symbol,  the  caduceus,  older  than  Greek  and 
Roman  art,  in  which  it  is  associated  with  Esculapius  and 
Hermes,  the  gods  of  health  and  fertility,  has  precisely  the 


117 

same  signification  as  the  sistrum  and  the  lingam.  This  is 
made  clear  enough  in  the  following  extract  from  a  letter  by 
Dr.  C.  E.  Balfour,  published  in  Fergusson's  Tree 
and  Serpent  Worship,  1873.  "  I  have  only  once 
seen  living  snakes  in  the  form  of  the  Esculapian 
rod.  It  was  at  Ahmednuggar,  in  1841,  on  a  clear 
moonlight  night.  They  dropped  into  the  garden  Fi£- 173- 
from  the  thatched  roof  of  my  house,  and  stood  erect.  They 
were  all  cobras,  and  no  one  could  have  seen  them  without  at 
once  recognising  that  they  were  in  congress.  Natives  of 
India  consider  that  it  is  most  fortunate  to  witness  serpents 
so  engaged,  and  believe  that  if  a  person  can  throw  a  cloth  at 
the  pair  so  as  to  touch  them  with  it,  the  material  becomes 
a  representative  form  of  Lakshmi,*  of  the  highest  virtue, 
and  is  preserved  as  such."  The  serpent,  which  casts  its 
skin  and  seems  to  renew  its  youth  every  year,  has  been 
used  from  remotest  times  as  a  living  symbol  of  generative 
energy,  and  of  immortality ;  indeed,  in  the  most  ancient 
Eastern  languages,  the  name  for  the  serpent  also  signifies 
life,  t  It  has  been  usually  worshipped  as  the  Agathodcemon, 
the  god  of  good  fortune,  life,  and  health;  though  in  the 
Hebrew  scriptures,  and  elsewhere,  we  meet  with  a  good  and 
a  bad  serpent  —  Oriental  dualism.  The  Kakodoemon,  how- 
ever, is  usually  represented  as  winged — the  Dragon,  as  in 
the  following  example. 

In  the  remarkable  Babylonian  seal,  Plate  iv.,  Fig.  3,  the 
deity  is  represented  as  uniting  in  himself  the  male  and  the 
female.  On  each  side  is  a  serpent,  as  the  emblem  of  the  life 
flowing  from  the  Creator;  that  on  the  male  side,  having 
round  his  head  the  solar  glory,  is  compared  to  the  sun-god, 
as  the  active  principle  in  creation  ;  that  on  the  female  side, 
over  whose  head  is  the  lunar  crescent,  to  the  moon-  and 
earth-goddess,  the  passive  principle  in  creation.  Both  are 

*  The  consort,  or  life-giving  energy  of  Vishnu. 

f  As  in  French,  the  name  for  the  male  organ  and  for  life  is  the  same  in 
sound,  though  not  in  spelling  or  gender. 


118 

attacked  by  a  winged  dragon,  the  kakodoemon,  or  the  evil 
principle.  This  is  according  to  the  ancient  Chaldean  doctrine 
of  two  creations  of  living  beings,  the  ODC  good  and  the  other 
malign.  The  Chinese  still  think  chat  an  eclipse  is  caused 
by  the  efforts  of  a  fnrions  dragon  to  destroy  the  sun  and 
moon ;  and  Apollo,  the  sun-god,  destroying  the  serpent 
Python,  has  reappeared  on  our  coin  as  St.  George  killing  the 
dragon.  Even  Apollyon  appears  in  old  paintings  with  huge 
wings,  like  those  of  a  bat. 

Having  thus  explained  what  appears  to  be  the  key  to 
a  wide  range  of  religious  symbolism,  and  shown  its  appli- 
cation in  many  cases,  we  shall  further  apply  it  to  unlock  the 
.  famous  object  of  Assyrian  worship.  Soon  after  the  dis- 
coveries of  Botta  and  Layard  were  published,  it  was  conjec- 
tured that  this  strange  object,  so  continually  represented  as 
being  adored,  might  be  the  asherah  of  the  Hebrew  scrip- 
tures, translated  "grove"  in  the  English  version.  How 
far  the  view  was  correct  we  shall  now  proceed  to  examine. 

The  religion  of  the  East  at  a  very  remote  period  appears 
to  have  been  the  worship'  of  one  God,  under  several  names. 
The  most  primitive  was  El,  II,  or  Al,  =  the  strong,  the 
mighty  one ;  or  its  plural  Elohim,  as  expressing  His  many 
powers  and  manifestations.  Another  name  was  Baal  or 
Bel,  —  the  lord,  which  also  had  a  plural  form,  Baalim.  The 
first  word  is  continually  used  in  the  Hebrew  scriptures,  and 
applied  both  to  the  true  God  and  the  gods  of  the  nations. 
Baal  is  only  once  thus  applied,  Hosea  ii.  16;  yet  Balaam, 
inspired  by  God,  prophesies  from  the  high  places  of  Baal. 
This  name,  though  so  appropriate  to  the  Almighty,  became 
abhorrent  to  the  Jews  when  it  was  so  frequently  associated 
with  idolatry,  and  a  new  cognomen,  or  "  the  Supreme," 
was  adopted  by  them,  viz.,  Jehovah,  =  the  Eternal,  the 
Ever-Living  One,  the  Creator ;  see  Exod.  iii.  14.  "  Baal " 
was  the  supreme  god  of  all  the  great  Syro-Phoenician 
nations,  with  the  insignificant  exception  of  the  Jews ;  and 
when  the  latter  migrated  into  Canaan  they  were  surrounded 


119 

on  all  sides  by  his  worshippers.  Towns,  temples,  men, 
including  even  a  son  of  Saul,  of  David  and  of  Jonathan,  viz., 
Eshbaal,  Meribbaal,  and  Beelida,  were  called  after  him.  As 
the  sun-god,  Baal-Hammon,  Song  of  Sol.  viii.  11 ;  2  Kings 
xxiii.  5  ;  he  was  worshipped  on  high  places,  Num.  xxii.  41 ; 
and  an  image  of  the  sun  appeared  over  his  altars,  2  Chron. 
xxxiv.  4.  As  the  generative  and  productive  power,  he  was 
worshipped  under  the  form  of  the  phallus,  Baal-Peor ;  and 
youths  and  maidens,  even  of  high  birth,  prostituted  them- 
selves in  his  honour  or  service;  Num.  xxv.;  2  Kings  xxiii.  7. 
As  the  creator,  he  was  represented  to  be  of  either  or  of  both 
sexes ;  and  Arnobius  tells  us  that  his  worshippers  invoked 
him  thus : 

"  Hear  us,  Baal !  whether  thou  be  a  god  or  a  goddess." 
Though  he  is  of  the  masculine  gender  in  the  Hebrew, 
ty??,  the  lord,  yet  Baal  is  called  y  BaaX,  =  the  lady,  in  the 
Septuagint ;  Hos.  ii.  8 ;  Zeph.  i.  4 ;  and  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, Romans  xi.  4.  At  the  licentious  worship  of  this 
androgyne,  or  two-sexed  god,  the  men  on  certain  occasions 
wore  female  garments,  whilst  the  women  appeared  in  male 
attire,  brandishing  weapons.  Each  of  this  god's  names  had 
a  female  counterpart;  and  the  feminine  form  of  Baal  was 
Beltis,  Ishtar,  and  Ashtarte.  As  he  was  the  sun-god,  she 
was  the  moon-goddess.  Now,  whilst  the  masculine  name 
(as  Bel  or  Bal,  Baal,  Baalim,)  appears  nearly  one  hundred 
times  in  the  Hebrew  Old  Testament,  the  feminine  equivalent 
is  only  found  three  times  in  the  singular  Ashtoreth,  and  six 
times  in  the  plural  Ashtaroth ;  always  in  association  with 
Baal-worship.  Knowing,  as  we  do,  the  immense  diffusion  of 
her  worship  amongst  the  Babylonians,  Assyrians,  and 
Phosnicians,  this  appears  strange.  There  is  a  word  of  the 
feminine  gender  occurring  in  the  Hebrew  twenty-four  times, 
viz.,  1T&*,  Asherah  or  AsJiarah;  plural,  nriPK,  Asharoth ; 
translated  in  the  Septuagint  and  Latin  vulgate,  a  tree,  or 
"  grove,"  in  which  they  have  been  followed  by  most  modern 
versions,  including  the  English.  This  supplies  the  void,  for 


120 

Asharah  may  be  regarded  as  another  name  for  the  goddess 
Ashtoreth,  as  is  plainly  seen  by  the  following  passages: 
"  They  forsook  Jehovah  and  served  Baal  and  Ashtoreth ;  " 
Judges  ii.  13 ;  whilst  in  the  following  chapter  we  read, 
"  They  forgot  Jehovah  their  God,  and  served  the  Baalim  and 
the  Asharoth  ;  "  iii.  7.  What,  then,  was  the  Asharah  ?  It 
was  of  wood,  and  of  large  size ;  the  Jews  were  ordered  to 
cut  it  down  ;  Exod.  xxxiv.  13,  etc. ;  and  Gideon  offered  a 
bullock  as  a  burnt  sacrifice  with  the  wood  of  the  Asherah. 
Occasionally  it  was  of  stone.  It  was  carved  or  graven  as 
an  image ;  2  Kings  xxi.  7.  It  often  stood  close  to  the  altar 
of  Baal;  Judges  vi.  25  and  30 ;  1  Kings  xvi.  32,  33; 
2  Chron.  xxxiii.  3.  Usually  on  high  places  and  under 
shady  trees ;  1  Kings  xiv.  23 ;  Jer.  xvii.  2 ;  but  one  was 
erected  in  the  temple  of  Jehovah  by  Manasseh ;  2  Bangs 
xxi.  7.  It  had  priests ;  1  Kings  xviii.  19  ;  and  its  worship 
was  as  popular  as  that  of  Baal;  for  whilst  the  priests  of 
"  the  Baal "  were  four  hundred  and  fifty,  those  of  "  the 
Asherah  "  were  four  hundred,  who  ate  at  the  table  of  Queen 
Jezebel,  daughter  of  Ethbaal,  king  of  Sidon.  It  was  some- 
times surrounded  with  hangings,  and  was  worshipped  by 
both  sexes  with  licentious  rites ;  2  Kings  xxiii.  7 ;  Ezek. 
xvi.  16.  As  Baal  was  associated  with  sun-worship,  so  was 
the  Asherah  with  that  of  the  moon ;  2  Kings  xxi.  3 ; 
2  Chron.  xxxiv.  4. 

Besides  these  Asheroth,  female  emblems  of  Baal,  there 
were  Asherim,  D^?,  male  emblems  of  Baal,  "  symbolising 
his  generative  power"  (Fiirst,  Hebrew  Lexicon),  which  are 
mentioned  sixteen  times  in  the  Hebrew  scriptures.  It  is 
only  found  in  the  plural,  and  must  have  been  a  multiple 
representation  of  the  singular,  Asher,  "IBV,  which  means 
"  to  be  firm,  strong,  straight,  prosperous,  happy,"  *  and 
cognate  with  the  Phosnician  "^  (Osir),  "  husband,"  "  lord," 

*  The  lupanars  at  Pompeii  were  distinguished  by  a  sign  over  the  street  door, 
representing  the  erect  phallus,  painted  or  carred,  and  baring  the  words  underneath. 
"  Hie  habitat  felicitas." 


121 

an  epithet  of  Baal.  Doubtless  this  was  also  identical  with 
the  Egyptian  Osiris,  =  the  sun,  =  the  phallus.  He  was 
said  to  have  suffered  death  like  the  sun ;  and  Plutarch 
tells  us  that  Isis,  unable  to  discover  all  the  remains  of  her 
husband,  consecrated  the  phallus  as  his  representative.  Thus 
"  the  Asharim  "  were  male  symbols  used  in  Baal-worship, 
and  sometimes  consisted  of  multiple  phalli,  of  which  the 
branch  carried  by  an  Assyrian  priest,  in  Plate  iii.  Fig.  4,  is  a 
conventional  form.  They  were  then  counterparts  of  the 
"  multimammia "  of  Greek  and  Roman  worship.*  This  is 
confirmed  by  a  curious  passage,  1  Kings  xv.  13  (repeated 
2  Chron.  xv.  16).  We  learn  (xiv.  23)  that  the  Jews,  under 
Rehoboam,  son  of  Solomon,  having  lapsed  into  idolatry,  had 
"built  them  high  places,  images,  and  Asharim  ("groves," 
A.  V.)  on  every  high  hill,  and  under  every  green  tree ;  and 
that  there  were  also  consecrated  ones  ("  sodomites,"  A.  V.) 
in  the  land."  But  Asa,  his  brother,  on  succeeding  to  the 
throne,  swept  away  all  these  things,  and  (xv.  13)  deposed 
the  queen  mother,  Maachah,  because  she  had  made  a  miphlet- 
zeth  to  an  Asherah  ("an  idol  in  a  grove,"  A.  V.)  nifJl31?, 
miphletzeth,  is  rendered  by  the  Vulgate  "simulacrum  Priapi." 
The  word  is  derived  from  fi*,palatz,  "to  be  broken,"  "terri- 
fied," or  the  cognate  B^S,  phalash,  palash,  "  to  break  or  go 
through,"  "to  open  up  a  way;  "  a  word  or  root  found  in  the 
Hebrew,  Phoenician,  Syriac,  and  Ethiopic.  Doubtless  the 
Greek  $aAXoj,  phallus,  was  hence  derived,  since  it  has  no 
independent  meaning  in  Greek ;  and  Herodotus  and  Dio- 
dorus  expressly  assert  that  the  chief  gods  of  Greece  and  their 
mysteries,  especially  the  Dionysiac  or  Bacchic  revels,  in 
which  the  phallus  was  carried  in  procession,  were  derived 
from  the  east.  Compare  also  the  Latin  pales,  English 
pale,  pole,  =  M.&ypole.  A  similar  word,  with  a  corres- 
ponding meaning,  exists  in  the  Sanscrit.  Thus,  then, 
according  to  the  Hebrew  scriptures,  there  were  two  chief 

See  Figs.  15,  16. 


122 

symbols  used  in  the  worship  of  Baal,  one  male,  the  other 
female. 

We  can  now  look  upon  the  very  symbols  themselves, 
which  were  so  used — perhaps  the  most  remarkable  in  exist- 
ence. It  is  well  known  that  the  Chaldeans,  from  whom  all 
other  nations  derived  their  religion,  astronomy,  and  science, 
gave  the  name  of  Bel  or  Baal  to  their  chief  god.  In  the 
most  ancient  inscription  yet  deciphered,  written  in  the  Baby- 
lonian and  Arcadian  languages,  a  king  rules  by  "  the  favour 
of  Bel."  Another  name  for  Baal  is  Assur,  or  Asher,  from 
whom  Assyria  is  named.  In  the  cuneiform  inscriptions  of 
Sennacherib,  the  great  king  of  Assyria,  Nineveh  is  called 
"  the  city  of  Bel,"  and  "  the  city  beloved  by  Ishtar." 
In  another  inscription  he  says  of  the  king  of  Egypt :  — 
"  the  terror  of  Ashur  and  Ishtar  overcame  him  and  he  fled." 
Assurbanipal  thus  commences  his  annals: — "The  great 
warrior,  the  delight  of  Assur  and  Ishtar,  the  royal  offspring 
am  I."  In  a  cuneiform  inscription  of  Nebobelzitri,  we  read  : — 
"Nineveh  the  city,  the  delight  of  Ishtar,  wife  of  Bel." 
Again,  "  Beltis,  the  consort  of  Bel."  "  Assur  and  Beltis,  the 
gods  of  Assyria."  Thus  we  see  that  Baal  and  Bel  were 
identical  with  Assur,  and  Ashur.  Doubtless,  then,  "  Asherah  " 
is  the  last  name  with  the  feminine  termination  (as  Ish  = 
man,  Ishah  =  woman),  and  is  identical  with  Ishtar,  Ashteroth, 
Astarteand  Beltis.  The  Septuagint  has  rendered  "Asherah  " 
by  "  Astarte,"  in  2  Chron.  xv.  16,  and  the  Vulgate  by 
"Astaroth,"  in  Judges  iii.  7.  Herodotus  described  (B.C.  450) 
the  great  temple  of  Belus  at  Babylon,  and  its  seven  stages 
dedicated  to  the  sun,  moon,  and  planets,  on  the  top  of  which 
was  the  shrine.  This  contained  no  statue,  but  there  was  a 
golden  couch,  upon  which  a  chosen  female  lay,  and  was 
nightly  visited  by  the  god.  Now,  therefore,  that  the  palaces 
of  the  Assyrian  kings,  and  their  "  chambers  of  imagery," 
have  been  by  great  good  fortune  laid  open  to  us,  we  might 
expect  to  discover  the  long-lost  symbolism  of  Baal-worship. 
And  so  we  have. 


123 

To  commence  with  the  simplest.  The  D'TB'K  (Asherim) 
is  seen  as  the  mystic  palm-tree,  the  tree  of  life,  Fig.  99  ;  the 
phallic  pillar  putting  forth  branches  like  flames,  Fig.  65  ;  and 
the  tree  with  seven  phalloid  branches,  so  common  on  Assy- 
rian and  Babylonian  seals,  Plate  xvii.,  Fig.  4.  See  also  the 
remarkable  Syrian  medals,  Plate  xvii  ,  Fig.  2,  on  which  is 
represented  Baal  as  the  sun-god,  holding  the  bow,  and 
surrounded  by  phalli. 

Or,  least  conventional  of  all,  the  simple  phallus,  of 
which  there  are  two  remarkable  specimens  in  the  British 
Museum.  Each  of  these  is  about  two  and  a  half  feet 
high,  and  once  guarded  the  bounds  of  an  estate.  Among 
the  Greeks  and  Romans,  boundaries  were  also  marked 
by  a  phallic  statue  of  Hermes,  the  god  of  fertility. 
These  Assyrian  emblems  have  doubtless  often  been  honoured 
with  rural  sacrifice.  Themselves  the  most  expressive  sym- 
bol of  life,  they  are  also  covered  with  its  conventional 
emblems.  A  back  view  of  oneis  given,  Figure  174.  The 
body  is  mainly  occupied  with  a  full  length  portrait  of  the  great 
king.  For  as  the  Assyrians  represented  the  Deity,  the  source 
of  all  life,  by  the  phallus,  so  the  monarch  was  the  god  of  this 
lower  world,  the  incarnation  of  God  on  earth.  He  was  the 
source  of  life  to  the  empire,  and  as  such  was  addressed —  "  0 
king,  live  for  ever  "  (Dan.  v.  10).  He,  like  the  gods,  never  dies. 
"  Le  Roi  est  mort ;  Vive  le  Roi"  The  ensigns  of  royalty 
were  also  those  of  the  creator-god.  Accordingly,  his  gar- 
ments and  crown  are  embroidered  with  that  sacred  emblem, 
the  Asherah.  He  bears  the  strung-bow  and  arrows,  emblems 
of  virile  power,  borne  afterwards  by  the  sun-god  Apollo,  and 
the  western  son  of  Venus.  An  erect  serpent  occupies  the 
other  side,  and  ends  with  forky  tongue  near  the  orifice.  The 
glans  is  covered  with  symbols.  On  the  summit  is  a  triad  of 
sun  emblems ;  beneath  are  three  altars,  over  two  of  which  are 
the  glans-shaped  caps,  covered  with  bulls'  horns,  always 
worn  by  the  Assyrian  guardian  angels,  and  intense  emblems 
of  the  male  potency.  For  in  ancient  symbolism,  a  part  of 


125 

a  symbol  stands  for  the  whole ;  as  here,  the  horns  represent 
the  bull,  and  the  glans  the  phallus.  Above  the  third  altar 
is  a  tortoise,  whose  protruded  head  and  neck  reminded  the 
initiated  of  the  phallus ;  and  the  altars  are  covered  with  a 
pattern  drawn  from  the  tortoise  scales.  We  have,  besides, 
a  vase  with  a  rod  inserted,  emblem  of  sexual  union,  and  a 
cock,  with  wings  and  plumage  ruffled,  running  after  a  hen  in 
amorous  heat.  The  glans  only  of  the  other  is  copied. 


Figure  175. 

Fig.  175.  At  the  top  are  the  sun-symbols,  as  before. 
Beneath  is  the  horse-shoe-like  head-dress  of  Isis,  and  there 
are  two  altars  marked  with  the  tortoise-emblem  in  front. 
Over  both  rises  the  erect  serpent,  and  upon  one  lies  the  head 
of  an  arrow  or  a  dart,  both  male  symbols.  The  miphletzeth 
which  Queen  Maachah  placed  in  or  near  the  Asherah,  pro- 
bably resembled  these  Assyrian  phalli,  or  the  Asherim. 


126 

And  now  we  come  to  the  Asherah,  a  much  more  complex 
and  difficult  symbol  than  any  other  which  we  have  named. 
This  object  has  long  puzzled  antiquarians,  and  though  it 
is  continually  recurring  in  the  sculptures  from  Nineveh,  it 
has  not  yet  been  fully  explained.  In  Fig.  176  we  see  it 


Figure  176. 

worshipped  by  human  figures,  with  eagles'  heads  and  wings, 
who  present  to  it  the  pine-cone,  =  the  testis,  and  the  basket, 
=the  scrotum  (?),  intense  emblems  of  the  male  creator.  In 


Figure  177. 

Fig.  177  it  is  adored  by  the  king  and  his  son  or  successor, 


127 

with  their  attendant  genii.  The  kings  present  towards  it  a 
well-known  symbol  of  life  and  good  fortune,  the  fist  with  the 
forefinger  extended,  or  "  the  phallic  hand."  Here,  then, 
we  have  evidently  the  Asherah,  or  Ashtaroth- symbol,  the 
female  Baal,  the  life-producer,  "  the  door  "  whence  life  issues 
to  the  world.  As  such  the  goddess  is  here  symbolised  as  an 
arched  door-way.  In  the  Phoanician  alphabet,  the  fourth 
letter,  daleth,  nf\  =  a  door,  has  the  shape  of  a  tent-door,  as 
on  the  Moabite  stone,  A,  and  also  in  the  Greek  AeAra  But 
another  form,  perhaps  as  ancient,  is  Q,  which,  when  placed 
in  its  proper  position,  would  be  Q,  the  very  form  of  the 
Asherah.*  In  the  plural,  this  word  stands  for  the  labia 
pudendi,  '?03  'n1?;?  13D  *6  *3}  « because  it  shut  not  up  the 
doors  of  the  womb,"  Job  iii.  10.  t  We  infer  from  Numbers 
xxv.  6-8,  that  in  the  rites  of  Baal-peor,  the  Kadeshoth,  or 
women  devoted  to  the  god,  offered  themselves  to  his  wor- 
shippers each  in  a  peculiar  bower  or  small  arched  tent,  called 
a  qubbah,  n?i?..  The  part  also  through  which  Phinehas  drove 
his  spear  (see  Num.  xxv.  8),  the  woman's  vulva,  is  also  called 
qobbali,  n3P,  the  one  word  being  derived  from  the  other, 
according  to  Onkelos,  Aquila,  and  others.  Qubbah  means, 
according  to  Fiirst,  Heb.  Lex.,  "  something  hollow  and 
arched,  an  arched  tent,  like  the  Arabic  El.  Kubba,  whence 
the  Spanish  Al-cova,  and  our  Alcove."  In  the  Latin  also, 
the  word  fornix,  a  vault,  an  arch,  meant  a  brothel,  and  from 
it  was  derived  fornicatio.  Qubbah  is  translated  by  the  LXX. 
xapvoj,  kaminos,  "an  oven  or  arched  furnace"  (Liddell  and 
Scott) ;  but  it  meant  also  the  female  parts.  See  Herodotus 
v.  92  (7).  Thus,  then,  the  Alcove  was  itself  a  symbol  of 
woman,  as  though  a  place  of  entrance  and  emergence,  and 
whence  new  life  issues  to  the  world.  And  when  the  male 

*  The  first  letter,  Aleph,  =  an  ox,  is,  even  on  the  Moahite  stone,  written  thus,  <, 
and  has  become  the  modern  A.  In  the  earlier  hieroglyph  it  must  have  been  thus  V- 
The  Egyptian  hieroglyph  for  ten  is  n  •  Compare  the  Greek  AeVa  and  Latin  Decem, 

f  The  first  of  the  Orphic  Hymns  is  addressed  to  the  goddess  Artemisias  IIpo0vpai'<x, 
(Prothuraia)  or  the  Door-keeper,  who  presided  over  childbirths,  like  the  Roman 
Diana  Lucina. 


128 

worshipper  of  Baal  entered  to  the  kadeshah,  the  living 
embodiment  of  the  goddess,  the  analogy  to  the  Asherah 
became  complete,  as  we  shall  now  show. 

The  central  object  in  the  Assyrian  "  grove  "  is  a  male 
date-palm,  which  was  well  known  as  an  emblem  of  Baal, 
the  sun,  the  phallus,  and  life.  This  remarkable  tree, 
1*?$,  m.,  Tamar,  in  Phoenician  and  Hebrew,  the  phoenix 
(o  Qoivit;)  in  Greek,  was  formerly  abundant  in  Palestine  and 
the  neighbouring  regions.  The  word  Phoenicia  (Acts  xi.  19, 
xv.  3)  is  derived  from  <$o»v»£,  phoinix,  as  the  country  of 
palms  ;  like  the  "  Idumeae  palmee  "  of  Virgil.  Palmyra,  the 
city  of  the  sun,  was  called  in  the  Hebrew  Tamar  (1  Kings 
ix.  18).  In  Vespasian's  famous  coin,  "  Jtulaa  capta," 
Judaea  is  represented  as  a  female  sitting  under  a  palm-tree. 
The  tree  can  at  once  be  identified  by  its  tall,  straight, 
branchless  stem,  of  equal  thickness  throughout,  crowned  at 
the  top  with  a  cluster  of  long,  curved,  feather-like  branches, 
and  by  its  singularly  wrinkled  bark.  All  these  characteristics 
are  readily  recognised  in  the  highly  conventional  forms  of  the 
religious  emblem,  even  in  the  ornament  on  the  king's  robe, 
fig.  174.  The  date-palm  is  dioecious,  the  female  trees,  which 
are  sometimes  used  as  emblems,  being  always  distinguished 
by  the  clusters  of  date  fruit.  "  Thy  stature  is  like  to  a  palm- 
tree,  thy  breasts  to  clusters  "  (Cant.  vii.  7).  "  The  righteous 
shall  flourish  like  the  palm-tree  "  (Ps.  xcii.  12),  fruitful  and 
ever  green.  "  They  are  upright  as  the  palm-tree,  but  speak 
not "  (Jer.  x.  3-5).  The  prophet  is  evidently  describing  the 
making  of  an  Asherah.  There  was  a  Canaanite  city  called 
Baal-Tamar,  =  Baal,  the  palm-tree,  designated  so,  it  is  pro- 
bable, from  the  worship  of  Baal  there  "under  the  form  of  a 
priapus-column,"  says  Fiirst,  Heb.  Lex.  The  real  form  was 
doubtless  an  "  Asherim,"  a  modified  palm-tree,  as  we  have 
already  shown.  Palm-branches  have  been  used  in  all  ages 
as  emblems  of  life,  peace,  and  victory.  They  were  strewn 
before  Christ.  Palm-Sunday,  the  feast  of  palms,  is  still 
kept.  Even  within  the  present  century,  on  this  festival,  in 


PLATE    XVII. 


129 

many  towns  of  France,  women  and  children  carried  in  pro- 
cession at  the  end  of  their  palm-branches  a  phallus  made  of 
bread,  which  they  called,  undisguisedly,  "  la  pine,"  whence 
the  festival  was  called  "  La  Fete  des  Pinnes."  The  "  pine  " 
having  been  blest  by  the  priest,  the  women  carefully  pre- 
served it  during  the  following  year  as  an  amulet.  (Dulaure, 
Hist,  des  differens  Cultes.) 

Again,  the  Greek  name  for  the  palm-tree,  phoenix,  was 
also  the  name  of  that  mythical  Egyptian  bird,  sacred  to 
Osiris,  and  a  symbol  of  the  resurrection.  With  some  early 
Christian  writers,  Christ  was  "the  Phoenix."  The  date-palm 
is  figured  as  a  tree  of  life  on  an  Egyptian  sepulchral  tablet, 
older  than  the  Exodus,  now  preserved  in  the  museum  at 
Berlin.  Two  arms  issue  from  the  top  of  the  tree ;  one  of 
which  presents  a  tray  of  dates  to  the  deceased,  whilst  the 
other  gives  him  water,  "  the  water  of  life."  The  tree  of 
life  is  represented  by  a  date-palm  on  some  of  the  earliest 
Christian  mosaics  at  Rome.  Something  very  like  the  Assy- 
rian Asherah,  or  sacred  emblem,  was  sculptured  on  the  great 
doors  of  Solomon's  temple,  by  Hiram,  the  Tyrian  (1  Kings 
vii.  13-21).  We  read  "  he  carved  upon  them  carvings  of 
cherubims  and  palm-trees  and  open  flowers,  and  spread  gold 
upon  the  cherubims  and  palm-trees  "  (1  Kings  vi.  32-35). 
He  also  erected  two  phallic  pillars  in  front  of  the  Temple, 
Jachin  and  Boaz,  =  It  stands  — In  strength.  No  wonder 
Solomon  fell  to  worship  Astarte,  Chemosh,  and  Milcom. 

Although  to  our  modern  ideas  the  mystical  tree,  symbol 
of  life  and  immortality,  seems  out  of  place  in  Judaism, 
yet  no  sooner  did  the  Jews  possess  a  national  coinage 
under  the  Maccabees  than  the  palm-tree  reappears,  always 
with  seven  branches  (like  the  golden  candlestick,  Ex.  xxv.), 
as  on  the  shekel  represented  Plate  xvii.,  Fig.  4.  The  Assyrian 
tree  has  always  the  same  number,  and  the  tufts  of  foliage 
(symbolising  the  entire  female  tree)  which  deck  the  margins 
of  the  mystic  Q  —  apt  emblems  of  fertility  —  have  also 
invariably  seven  branches.  This  may  remind  us  of  the 
i 


130 

seven  visible  spheres  that  move  around  our  earth  "  in  mystic 
dance,"  and  of  Balak's  offering,  upon  seven  altars,  seven  bulls 
and  seven  rams  (Num.  xxiii.  1 ;  Rev.  ii.  1)  The  mystic 
door  is  also  barred,  like  the  Egyptian  sistrum  carried  by  the 
priestesses  of  Isis,  to  represent  the  inviolable  purity  and 
eternal  perfection  which  were  associated  with  the  idea  of 
divinity.  When  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  took  the  place 
in  Christendom  of  "  the  great  goddess,"  the  dogmas  which 
propounded  her  immaculate  conception  and  perpetual  vir- 
ginity followed  as  a  matter  of  course. 

Thus,  then,  we  explain  the  greatest  symbol  in  Eastern 
worship, — it  is  the  "Tree  of  Life  in  the  midst  of  the  Garden," 
which  has  remained  so  long  a  mystery.  To  Dr.  Inman 
belongs  the  distinguished  merit  of  having  first  broken  ground 
in  the  right  direction.  In  his  Ancient  Faiths,  vol.  1,  1868, 
he  identified  the  Assyrian  "  Asherah  "  with  the  female  "  door 
of  life,"  and  pointed  out  its  analogy  to  the  barred  sistrum. 
We  have  seen  that  it  is  really  much  more  complex,  being 
precisely  analogous  in  meaning  to  the  famous  crux  ansata 
(Fig.  170),  the  central  mystery  of  Egyptian  worship ;  to  the 
lingam  or  lingyoni  of  India  (Fig.  109),  the  great  emblem  of 
Siva- worship ;  and  to  the  caduceus  of  Greece  and  Rome. 
As  represented  on  the  Assyrian  sculptures,  it  is  always 
substantially  the  same.  Probably  this  stereotyped  form  was 
the  result  of  a  gradual  refinement  upon  some  rude  primitive 
type,  perhaps  as  coarse  as  that  seen  by  Captain  Burton  in 
the  African  idol-temple. 

To  exhibit  all  the  strange  developments  and  modifications 
which  this  idea  has  assumed  in  the  religious  symbolism  of 
Eastern  and  Western  nations  would  require  a  large  volume. 
But  the  subject  is  so  rich  in  varied  interest  that  we  cannot 
conclude  without  taking  a  glance  at  it.  First,  the  simple  Q, 
barred,  is  reproduced  with  a  contraction  towards  the  base,  as 
in  the  Indian  "  yoni,"  and  the  Egyptian  sistrum,  used  in  the 
worship  of  Isis.  Second,  within  the  Q  was  represented  the 
goddess  herself,  as  revealed  within  her  own  symbol.  This 


PLATE    XVIII. 


nmmra  btatemartt  mrgt0  pfaltmum 


131 

is  illustrated  in  Plate  xvii.,  Fig.  5,  where  Demeter  or  Ceres  is 
thus  depicted,  with  her  cornucopia,  from  a  bronze  coin  of 
Damascus.  Thirdly,  but  much  more  commonly,  the  goddess 
holds  in  her  hands  emblems  of  the  male  potency  in  creation, 
and  thus  completes  the  symbol.  As  in  the  coin  figured  Plate 
xvii.,  Fig.  8,  the  goddess,  standing  within  the  Q,  the  portico 
of  her  temple,  holds  in  her  right  hand  the  cross,  that  most 
ancient  emblem  of  the  male  and  of  life.  In  the  beautiful 
Greek  coin  of  Sidon  next  figured,  the  goddess — evidently 
Astarte,  the  moon-goddess,  the  Queen  of  Heaven — stands 
on  a  ship,  the  mystic  Argha  or  Ark,  holding  in  one  hand  a 
crozier,  in  the  other  the  cross.  (Plate  xvii.,  Fig.  7.) 

Under  Christianity,  the  Virgin  Mary,  who,  as  Queen  of 
Heaven,  stands  on  the  crescent  moon,  is  pictured  beneath 
the  mystic  doorway,  with  (the  God  as)  a  male  child  in  her 
arms.  See  Plate  xviii.,  copied  from  the  woodcut  title  to  the 
Psalter  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  printed  at  Czenna,  in  old 
Prussia,  1492.  Like  Isis,  she  is  the  mother  and  yet  the 
spouse  of  God,  "  clothed  with  the  sun,  and  having  the  moon 
under  her  feet  "  (Kev.  xii.  1).  The  upper  half  of  the  picture 
is  very  like  the  Assyrian  scenes.  On  either  side  is  a  king, 
Frederick  III.  and  his  son  the  Emperor  Maximilian,  at  their 
devotions.  The  alcove  is  of  roses,  an  emblem  of  virginity. 
The  famous  Mediaeval  "  Romaunt  de  la  Rose  "  turns  upon 
this.  Among  the  many  titles  given  to  "  the  Virgin  "  in 
Mediaeval  times,  we  find  Santa  Maria  della  Rosa,  that  flower 
being  consecrated  to  her.  Hence  it  is  often  represented  in 
her  hand.  Dante  writes  :- 

"  Here  is  the  Rose, 
Wherein  the  Word  Divine  was  made  incarnate." 

In  Plate  xviii.,  the  Virgin  goddess  is  seated  with  the  God-child 
in  a  bower,  exactly  the  shape  of  the  Assyrian,  composed  of 
fruits  highly  significant  of  sex,  as  has  already  been  explained. 
In  some  Hindoo  pictures,  the  child  is  naked,  having  the 


132 


member  erect,  and  also  making  the  phallic  hand,  with  the 
right  forefinger  erected.     (Plate  xiv.,  Fig.  14.) 

In  other  conventional  forms  we  have  male  symbols  only 
within  the  female  Q.  This  is  a  very  numerous  class.  In 
the  Fig.  3,  Plate  xvii.,  we  see  the  fir-tree  or  pine  take  the  place 
of  the  palm-tree,  and  in  Fig.  6,  Plate  xvii.,  the  cone.  On  this 
remarkable  medal  of  Cyprus  is  a  representation  of  the  temple 
of  Venus  at  Paphos,  famous  even  in  the  days  of  Homer. 
(Odyss.  viii.  362.)  The  worship  of  that  divinity  is  said  to 
have  been  imported  into  Cyprus  from  the  East.  The  goddess 
united  both  sexes  in  her  own  person,  and  was  served  by 
castrated  priests.  We  see  here,  within  the  innermost  sanc- 
tum of  the  temple,  a  cone  as  emblem  of  the  male ;  and  the 
meaning  is  further  pointed  by  the  sun-emblem  above,  inserted 
within  the  crescent  moon. 

Let  us  next  examine  how  the  cone  came  to  be  used 
as  a  masculine  emblem.  If  we  turn  to  Figs.  174  and  175,  it 
will  be  seen  that  the  "  glans  "  was  particularly  honoured  as 
the  head  of  the  phallus;  it  was  also  the  part  dedicated  to 
God  by  effusion. of  blood  in  the  rite  of  circumcision.  Thip 
"  acorn  "  is  conical  or  dome-shaped,  and  thus — a  part  being 
taken  for  the  whole — the  cone  or  pyramid  was  used  as  a 
conventional  symbol  of  the  male  creator.  Placed  on  a  stem 
it  is  frequently  represented  as  worshipped 
on  Assyrian  bas_reliefs.  See  Fig.  177.  It 
was  also  a  symbol  of  fire,  the  sun,  and  life  ; 
as  such  it  formed  a  fitting  monument  for 
the  Egyptian  kings.  Our  word  pyramid  is 
from  the  Greek  irupotpis,  puramis,  itself 
derived  from  xup,  pur,  fire,  and  nvpof ,  puros, 
wheat,  because  pyramid-shaped  cakes  of 
wheat  and  honey  were  used  in  the  Bacchic 
rites.  It  played  an  important  part  in  sun- 
worship.  The  emperor  Heliogabalus  (who,  as  his  name 
implies,  had  been  a  priest  of  Baal,  the  sun-god,  in  Syria,) 
established  the  Syrian  worship  at  Rome.  He  himself  drove 


Fig.  177. 


133 

the  golden  chariot  of  the  sun,  drawn  by  six  white  horses, 
through  the  streets  of  Rome  to  a  splendid  new  temple  on 
the  Palatine  mount,  the  god  being  represented  by  a  conical 
black  stone,  said  to  have  fallen  from  heaven ;  and  which  the 
emperor  removed  from  a  temple  of  the  sun,  at  Emesa,  in 
Syria.  At  a  subsequent  period,  an  image  of  the  moon- 
goddess,  or  Astarte,  was  brought  by  his  orders  from  a  cele- 
brated fane  at  Carthage  to  Rome,  and  there  solemnly 
married  with  licentious  rites  to  the  sun-god,  amidst  general 
rejoicing.* 

A  curious  parallel  to  these  mystic  nuptials  of  the  Assyrian 
god  and  goddess  may  be  found  in  some  of  the  religious 
ceremonies  of  the  modern  Hindoos.  Fergusson  tells  us  that 
"the  most  extraordinary  buildings  connected  with  Hindu 
temples  are  the  vast  pillared  colonnades  or  choultries.  By  far 
their  most  important  application  is  when  used  as  nuptial 
halls,  in  which  the  mystic  union  of  a  male  and  female 
divinity  is  celebrated  once  a  year." 

Again,    in    Indian   mythology,   the    pyramid    plays    an 
important  part.     It  belongs  to  Siva,  =  the  sun,  =  fire,  =  the 
phallus,  =  life.      By   one  complex    symbol,   very   common 
on    ancient    Hindoo   monuments   in   China 
and   Thibet,  the   universe  was  thus   repre- 
sented.   Notice  the  upward  gradation.    Earth 
+  water  =  this    globe.       The    creator-god, 
whose  emblem,  flame,  mounts   upwards,  is 
the  author  and  representative  of  all  life  upon 
it ;  he  is  the  connecting  link,  united  by  the 
crescent  moon  with  heaven.     The  arrow-  or 
spear-head  inserted  within  the  crescent  is  an 
emblem  of  Siva ;  like  the  lingam  it  typified 
the  divine  source  of  life,  and  also  the  doctrine     Fig.  178. 
that  perfect  wisdom  was  to  be  found  only  in  the  combination 

*  In  Astrology,  the  conjunction  of  Jupiter  and  Venus  was  considered  the  most 
fortunate  of  all ;  such  as  kings  and  princes  should  be  born  under. 


134 


of  the  male  and  female  principles  in  nature.  It  decorates 
the  roofs  of  the  Buddhist  monasteries  in  Thibet,  and  like 
the  sacred  lotus  flower  and  the  linga,  both  of  which  became 
emblems  of  Buddha,  was  derived  from  older  faiths.  Other 
interpretations  may  suggest  themselves.  This  will  enable  us 
to  understand  the  remarkable  sculptures  of  the  second  or 
third  century,  from  the  Amravati  Tope,  Plate  xix.,  which 
present  so  many  points  in  common  with  the  religious  symbols 
of  the  Chaldeans.  In  Fig.  2  we  see  a  congregation  of  males 
and  females,  the  sexes  being  separated,  worshipping  a  linga, 
or  stone  conical  pillar,  on  the  front  of  which  is  sculptured 
the  sacred  tree,  with  branches  like  flames ;  three  symbols  of 
life  in  one.  It  rises  from  a  throne,  on  the  seat  of  which  are 
placed  the  two  emblems  of  earth  and  water.  In  the  other 
figure,  the  sacred  tree  takes  the  place  of  the  linga,  rising 
above  the  throne,  as  if  from  the  trisul  or  trident,  male 
emblems  of  Siva.  Winged  figures,  Garudas,  attend  it  above, 
floating  over  the  heads  of  the  worshippers.  An  intrusion  of 
the  newer  faith  is  also  to  be  recognised,  as  the  feet  of 
Buddha  are  sculptured  before  the  throne. 

In  the  mysteries  of  Mithra,  the  symbols  in  Fig.  178  were 
also  employed.  They  represented  the  elements  to  which  the 
soul  ought  to  be  successively  united  in  passing  through  the 
new  birth. 

We  will  add  but  two  more 
emblems,  culled  from  mediae- 
val heraldry,  Figs.  179  and  180, 
in  both  of  which  the  Asherah, 
the  "grove"  of  Baal-worship, 
will  be  at  once  recognised ;  the 
arrow  and  the  cross,  symbols 
of  the  male  creator,  taking  the 

place   of   the    mystic    palm-        ""  «J  >  Fig<  m 

tree. 

In    all    these,    from    the 


Fig.  179. 


PLATE    XIX. 


135 

rudest  to  the  most  complex,  we  are  thus  able  to  trace  a 
common  idea,  viz.,  a  feeling  after  God,  as  the  Life  and  Light 
of  the  Universe,  and  an  attempt  to  express  a  common  hope  in 
visible  forms. 


137 


INDEX. 


Abraham,  xxviii.,  63. 

Abricot  fendu,  7. 

Abuse  does  not  c-hange  facts,  43. 

Acorn,  132. 

Adam  and  Eve,  66. 

Adonis,  112. 

Adultery,  how  punished,  19. 

Aerolite,  6,  133. 

African  and  fetish,  xv. 

Agathodaemon,  117. 

Ahriman,  5. 

Al,  118. 

Albe,  104. 

Alcmena,  92. 

Alcove,  127. 

Aleph,  127. 

Alexander  false  prophet,  73. 

Alexandrian  library,  92. 

Allah,  prophet  of,  ix. 

Altar,  74. 

and  fire,  9. 

Amphibolus,  saint,  a  cloak,  84. 
Amravati  tope,  133. 
Anacalypsis,  Higgins',  54,  66. 
Anatolia,  70. 
Anchor,  a  symbol,  53. 
Ancient  faiths  and  names,  xi.,  130. 
Androgyne,  xxii.,  9,  89,  93. 
Angels,  84. 

Animals  live  peaceably,  xvii. 
Antelope,  3,  71. 
Anu  and  Hea,  4,  10,  50,  70. 
Aphrodite,  112. 
Apollo,  61. 
ApoUyon,  118. 
Appendix,  107. 
Apple,  55. 
Apuleius,  25. 
Arabian  paradise,  110. 


Arab  swearing,  xxviii.,  63.^—-- 
Arabs  and  yoni,  114.    Jf"^ 
Arba,  the  four,  6,  9,  11,  13,  14,  24, 

51. 

Arbor  vita,  3,  8,  130. 
Arcana,  11. 
Architecture,  111. 
Arddha-nari,  9,  89. 
Argha,  75,  116. 
Arita  cup,  109. 
-Ark,  xiii.,  xiv.,  8,  83. 
Arnobius,  34,  55,  66,  69,  73,  119. 
Arrectation,  4,  5. 
Arrow,  49. 
Art  Christian,  16. 
Artemis,  113. 
Aryans,  xvii.,  19. 
Asherah,  119  sq.t  126. 
Asher,  Anu  and  Hea,  4, 10,  41,  42, 

50,  70,  120. 

Aslitaroth,  4,  11,  62,  119. 
Ass,  84. 

the  golden,  25. 
Assur,  122. 
Assurbanipal,  122. 
Assyrian,  21,  31,  49.  99. 
Astarte,  11,  25,  112,  129. 
Athanasius,  xxxii. 
Atheists,  43. 
Athor,  12. 
Augurs,  86. 
Aureole,  34,  35,  36. 
Avatars,  68. 
Aztec  ruins,  x. 

Baal,  10,  119  sq. 
Baalim,  4,  11,  118. 
Baal-Peor,  119. 
Baal-Tamar,  128. 


138 


INDEX. 


Baby,  where  from,  xi.,  xii. 
Babylonia,  4,  12,  117. 
Babylons,  two,  3. 
Bacchus,  3,  34,  49,  95. 

festivities  of,  49,  121. 
Bag,  25,  45,  126. 
Balaam,  118,  130. 
Balak,  130. 
Balfour,  Dr.,  116. 
Bambino,  73. 
Barberini  palace,  63. 
Barleycorn,  43. 
Barred  symbols,  80,  81.    See  Sis- 

trum. 

Basket,  49,  50,  84. 
Bat,  118. 

Bathsheba  and  Lucretia,  xxxiv. 
Baubo  and  Ceres,  66,  67. 
Beads,  82,  83. 
BEING,  the  Great,  xvii. 
Bel,  4, 5,  67,  118. 
Bell  and  Sistrum,  53. 
Bells,  20,  22. 
Beltis,  122. 
Belus'  temple,  122. 
Bene  nasatus,  6. 
Bengal  and  Palestine,  xxvii. 

famine  in,  xx. 
Bequille,  la,  85. 
Berlin  Museum,  129. 
Berne  Cathedral,  10. 
Beroalde  de  VerviUe,  115. 
Betal.  a  Hindoo  god,  60. 
Bethel,  73. 
Bethshemesh,  xiii. 
Bhaga,  74. 

Bhavani,  9,  74,  88,  94. 
Bifrons,  57. 

Bigotry,  viii.  "     , 

Bishop,  ancient,  51,  52. 

blessing,  6. 
Bishop's  Crook,  64. 
Black  divinities,  28,  29,  30,  52,  79, 

80. 

Blessing,  6,  7. 
Boaz  and  Jachin,  xxxiii.,  129. 


Bohen,  4. 

Bonnes  fortunes,  86. 

Bonomi,  24. 

Botta,  118. 

Bouche  inferieure,  la,  81. 

Boundary  stones,  123. 

Bow,  25. 

Bowls,  sacred,  75. 

Box,  or  ark,  xiii. 

Boy,  a  brave,  xiv. 

Brahma,  7- 

Brahmin,  ix. 

and  microscope,  xi. 
Branch,  3,  16. 

Bravery  routs  imposture,  xiv. 
Brazen  serpent,  xiii. 
Breasts,  multiple,  29,  30. 
Breath,  holy,  92. 
British  Museum,  123. 
Brothels,  called  sistra,  20. 
Bryant,  8,  9,  82. 
Buddha  and  Jesus,  xxix. 
Buddhist  bells,  53. 

cross,  43. 

grove,  78. 

heaven,  109. 

Buddhists  and  Jeynes,  55. 
Bugbears,  xiv. 
Bull,  xxiii. 
Burton  on  Dahomey,  114, 116, 13C 

Caaba,  63. 

Cabiri,  Faber's,  62. 

Cabrera,  12. 

CadiSre,  Miss,  34. 

Caduceus,  116. 

Cairo,  21. 

Cakes,  round,  35. 

Calf,  golden,  108. 

Candlestick,  golden,  129. 

Carrot,  xii,  70. 

Carthage,  24. 

Cat,  18,  48,  96,  100. 

Cave  near  Venice,  113. 

Celestial  "Virgin,  76,  113. 

Celibacy  of  priests,  52. 


INDEX. 


139 


Central  America,  55. 
Ceres,  7,  25,  69,  112,  131. 

and  Bacchus,  95. 

and  Baubo,  66,  67. 
Chaldeans,  122. 
Chariot  of  sun,  36. 
Chasuble,  104. 
Chemosh,  129. 
Cherubim,  xiii. 

Child  and  Virgin,   1,   11,  18,   26, 
27,  28,  75,  181. 

fruit,  74. 

Children  and  secrets,  xi. 
Chinese  and  eclipse,  118. 
Xolpos  choiros,  57. 
Choultries,  133. 
Chrishna,  2,  26,  88. 
Christendom,  xv. 
Christianity,  vii. 

and  heathenism,  16,  102. 

wants  a  scavenger,  xvi. 
Christians,  xxviii. 

their  Virgin  and  Child,  1, 11,  18, 

26,  27,  28,  75. 

Churches,  sexual  ornaments  in,  16. 
on, 114 
Cibotus,  8. 
Circles,  34,  35,  36. 
Circumcision,  xxvi,  99,  132. 
Citron,  56. 

Classification  of  symbols,  x. 
Clitoris,  5. 
Club  on  coin,  57. 
Clusters,  128. 
Cobden,  13. 
Cock,  99, 125. 
Cognomens,  xix. 

containing  Baal,  119. 
Cohen,  6. 

Coins,  x.,  57,  58   129. 
Coleman's  Mythology,  68. 
Collation  of  facts,  x. 
Comana,  xxxii. 
Comb,  100 ;  see  Kreis. 
Combined  symbols,  46. 
Commandment,  second,  xiii. 


Community  of  ideas,  viii. ,  ix. 

Comparisons,  xxxi.,  xxxiv. 

Cone  and  Venus,  6. 

Coniculstone,  133. 

Conjunction  of  sun  and  moon,  6. 

Consecrated  ones,  xxxiii. 

Conventional  emblems,  xxiii. 

Cord  of  St.  Francis,  34. 

Corinth,  xxxii. 

Coronation  orb,  53. 

Cosmo,  a  saint,  84. 

Creation,  xx. 

Creator,  xvii.,  6. 

Crescent,  ix.,  xx.,  11,"35,  38,  69. 

Crook  of  bishop,  64. 

Cross,  ix.,  xx.,  14,  15,  36,  41,  42, 

43,  53,  61,  70,  101. 
and  rosary,  83. 
Crozier,  episcopal,  64,  85. 
Crux  ansata,  9,  15,  35,  37,  44,  45, 

53,  64,  102,  103. 
Culte  de  Venus,  2,  4,  19,  45,  55, 

62,  71. 

Cup  and  Wafer,  96. 
Cupid,  5,  96. 
Cupola,  18. 
Curse  on  a  nation,  xxxiv. 

Ham,  64. 
Cybele,  69,  85. 
Cypris,  le  Verger  de,  21. 
Cyprus,  26,  132. 
and  Venus,  6. 
Czenna,  131. 

Q,  127,  129,  130,  132. 

Dabistan,  the,  74. 
Dagon,  2,  67. 
Dahomey,  114. 
Damian,  a  saint,  84. 
Dancing  before  a  box,  xiv. 
Danes,  110. 
Dard,  le,  86. 
Date  palm,  128. 
David  and  ark,  xiv. 

and  Tarquin,  xxxiv. 

dances  obscenely,  xxvii..  xxxiii. 


140 


INDEX. 


Death  and  feet  marks,  41. 

of  the  year,  111. 
Deities,  4,  11,  62. 
Dekkan,  monuments  in,  60. 
Delphi,  11. 
Delta,  the,  8,  127. 
Demeter,  112,  131. 
Demon  and  Vampire,  xvi. 
Denderah,  116. 
Desire,  5,  18. 
Devi,  9,  94. 
Devices  symboli,  xi. 
Devil,  vii. 

a  Fetish,  xv. 
Deuteronomy,  viii. 
D'Harcanville,  79. 
Dhurga,  94. 
Diana  of  Ephesians,  28,  30,  48. 

Roman,  113. 
Diet,  fish,  2. 
Digger  and  trench,  xxiii. 
Diodorus,  121. 
Dionysus,  23. 

revels,  121. 

Dirty  statue  cleaned,  xvi. 
Discs,  34,  36. 
Divine  revelation,  viii. 
Doljang  and  Francis  of  Assisi,  79. 
Dolphin,  8. 

and  womb,  55. 
Door  and  yoni,  66,  49,  127. 
Double  deities,  4,  11,  62. 

entente,  2,  87. 

face,  58. 

triangle,  87. 
Dove,  83. 

why  sacred,  21. 
Dragon,  117. 
Dress,  spotted,  3. 
Drink,  intoxicating,  divine,  xvix. 
Drunkenness  in  England,  xxix. 
Dualism  in  nature,  xix. 
Dubois,  66. 
Du  Chaillu,  114. 
Dulaure,  xxv.,  129. 


Early  races  of  Scotland,  58. 
Earth  and  sun,  xix. 

mother,  112. 
East,  111. 

Ecclesiastical  emblems,  10. 
Eclipse,  118. 
Edinburgh  Review,  14. 
Egba  temples,  114. 
Egg,  xxiv. 
Egypt,  ark  in,  xiv. 

ritual  of  the  dead  in,  109. 
Egyptian  crosses,  53. 

trinity,  11-13. 
El,  118. 

Elixir  of  life,  108. 
Elohim,  4,  93,  118. 
Emblems  and  language,  ix. 

how  selected,  100. 

of  Mary,  7,  8. 

English  writers,  xxv.,  xxxi. 
Enjoyment,  110. 
Ephod,  the,  103. 
Epigrams  of  Martial,  85. 
Equinox,  113. 
Erection  of  serpents,  xxiv. 
Eros,  5,  96. 

Error  pleasauter  than  truth,  xi. 
Esculapius,  116. 
Esdras,  xii. 
Esoteric,  xii.,  xiv. 
Etruscans,  58,  64. 
Euphemisms,  xxiv.,  xxvii.,  xxxi. 
Eve,  10,  11,  66. 
Exoteric,  xi.,  xii. 
Explanations,  xi. 
Eyes,  7. 
Ezekiel  and  Jerusalem,  xxviii. 

Faber's  Cabiri,  62. 
Fables,  xiii. 
Fabretti,  27,  40,  57. 
Facts,  collation  of,  x. 
Faith,  a,  not  necessary,  xvii. 
Famine  in  Bengal,  xx. 
Fascinum,  43. 
Feasts  and  fasts,  111. 


INDEX. 


141 


Feet  and  death,  41. 
— hair  of,  xxxi.,  67,  114. 

of  Buddah,  134. 

soles  of,  40. 
— —water  of,  xxxi. 
Female  and  fish,  1,  2,  8,  68. 

and  male,  xix.,  56. 

for  Bel,  122. 

symbols,  98,  115. 
Fente,  la,  18. 
Ferguson,  117,  133. 
Fete  des  Pinnes,  129. 
Fetish,  xv. 

Feuille,  la,  de  sage,  85. 
Finger  in  worship,  3,  4,  50. 
Fire  and  altar,  9. 

and  love,  33. 

sacred,  111. 
Fish,  1-4,  32,  68. 
Five,  names  of,  40. 
Flagellation,  61. 
Flagellum,  37,  61. 
Fleece,  what,  69-70. 
Fleur  de  lys,  46,  53,  68. 
Flood,  the,  8. 
Flower,  the,  22. 
Forefinger  and  thumb,  3. 
Foreskins  and  Philistines,  xxvii. 
Fornication,  127. 
Fornix,  127. 
Foul  anchor,  53. 
Foundation  of  religion,  vii. 
Four,  the,  103.     See  ABBA. 
Foutin,  a  French  saint,  84. 
Fox  Talbot,  112. 
France  and  yoni,  115. 
Francis,  St.,  cord  of,  34,  79. 
Free  love,  74. 
Freethinkers,  43. 
Friday  and  fish,  1-4. 

Ganges,  ix.,  73,  90. 
Gardens,  god  of,  84. 
Garudas,  134. 
Gaulish  figures,  57. 
Ge,  92,  112. 


Giant,  uncircumcised,  weak,  xxvii. 

Giants  and  shams,  xv. 

Ginsburg,  24. 

Gerard,  Father,  34. 

Glans  penis,  99. 

Gnostics,  58,  65. 

Goat,  vii.,  14. 

and  Venus,  xxiii. 
Goats  and  sheep,  10. 
Goddesses,  47. 

black,  79. 
Gods,  xvii. 

Golden  fleece,  70,  100. 
Graven  image,  xiii. 
GREAT  BEING,  the,  xvii. 
Greece,  the  ark  in,  xiv. 
Greeks  and  Venus,  xxiii. 
Grove,  the,  22,  49,  50,  70,  91,  100, 

118  sq.  126. 
Guardian  angels,  84. 

Hades,  112. 
Hair  of  feet,  xxxi.,  67. 
Ham,  xxvi.,  64. 
Hammer  of  Thor,  44. 
Hand,  6,  7,  25,  81. 
Hare,  ix.,  99. 
Harpocrates,  66. 
Hatred,  theological,  43. 
Hea,  Anu  and  Asher,  4,  10. 
Heathendom,  xv. 
Heathenism,  xv.,  xvi. 

in  Christianity,  43. 
Heavenly  peace  maker,  76. 
Hebrews,  xxviii. 
Heliogabalus,  132. 
Hercules  and  Solomon,  xxviii 
Hermes,  116. 
Herodotus,  121,  122,  127. 
Higgins'  Anacalypsis,  54. 
Hindoos,  xx.,  xxi.,  xxviii.,  89. 
Hindostan,  x.,  xxiii.,  73,  93. 
Hiram,  129. 
Hole  and  pillar,  63. 
Holy  breath,  92. 

fire,  112. 


142 


INDEX. 


Holy  Virgin,  xxi. 
Homage  to  yoni,  81. 
X  X 1  V  Horseshoe,  13,  78,  98,  134. 
Horns  and  Isis,  1,  22,  23,  68. 
Hosea,  118. 
Houris,  110. 
How  to  make  impropriety  proper, 

xxi. 

Hyde,  64. 
Hymen,  22,  85. 
Hyslop  61. 

Jachin  and  Boaz,  xxxiii.,  129. 
Jacob  and  pillar,  73. 

swears  by  "  thigh,"  xxvii.,  xxxiii. 
Idumece  palmce,  128. 
i\&vs,  ichthus,  2. 
Jehovah,  name  of,  xii.,  xiii. 
Jerusalem,  112. 
Jesus,  vii.,  xxix.,  3. 
Jews,  xxv.,  3. 
Jew's  harp,  116. 
II,  118. 

Image,  graven,  xiii. 
Images,  Isaiah  on,  73. 
Immortality,  109. 
Impaled  vampires,  xvi. 
Improprieties  made  proper,  xxi. 
India,  lingams  in,  73. 

mythology  of,  109. 
Indra,  7,  28. 
Indranee,  28. 
Inman,  Dr.,  130. 
Inquiry  forbidden  by  priests,  viii. 
Instrumens,  les,  85. 
Interpretation,  x. 
Invention  of  religion,  ix. 
Ipsambul,  54. 
Ireland  and  Spain,  66. 

and  yoni,  114. 
Isaiah  on  images,  73. 
Isernia,  84. 
Ishtar,  5,  25,  112. 
Isis,  1,  10,  12,  22,  23,  37,  52,  91, 

96,  97,  109,  125. 
Issachar,  56. 


Judaa  capta,  128. 
Judaism,  vii. 
Juno,  xxii.,  25. 
Jupiter,  xxii.,  4. 
Juvenal,  52. 
Ivy  leaves,  49. 

Kabbalah,  23,  24. 
Kadesh,  xxxii.,  128. 
Kakodaemon,  117. 

Ka/uuvos,  127. 

Key,  4,  25,  70,  101. 

Kildare,  112. 

King,  a  God,  xx.,  123. 

King's  "  Gnostics,"  51,  58,  65. 

Kistvaens,  60. 

Kneeling  in  modern  Rome,  73. 

Knight,  R,  Payne,  xxv.,  23,  62. 

Krishna,  88.     See  Chrishna. 

Kreis,  kteis,  xxiv.,  10,  81. 

Labice  pudendi,  127. 

Lais  and  fish,  2. 

Lajard,  2,  4,  5,  55. 

Lake  dwellings,  113. 

Lakshmi,  94,  117. 

Lampsacus  and  St.  Foutin,  84. 

Lamps  in  worship,  74. 

Language  and  emblems,  ix. 

Lanugo,  70. 

Laws  made  and  broken,  xiii. 

Layard,  66,  118. 

Leah,  56. 

Lebanon,  xxviii.,  81. 

Legba,  114. 

Leprosy  and  sin,  viii. 

Leslie's  Scotland,  24,  58. 

Letters  and  Symbols,  xi. 

Liber  and  Prosumnus,  34. 

Life,  ideas  of,  108  sq. 

Light  of  Tabor,  51. 

and  life,  134 

Likeness  not  to  be  made,  xiii. 
Lily,  46,  53,  68. 

Linga,  xxviii.,  9,  10,  33,  34,  63,  ( 
73,  74,  116,  133. 


INDEX. 


143 


Ling  Yoni,  33,  62,  71,  72, 116.   . 

Lingam,  116. 

Lion  Mithraic,  64,  65. 

Lioness,  18. 

Loins,  what,  xxvii. 

Longinus,  St.,  a  spear,  84. 

Loretto  Virgin,  79. 

Lotus,  3,  21,  53,  66,  88. 

Love  and  fire,  33. 

Lozenge  and  yoni,  12,  18,  81. 

Lucian's  dea  Syria,  75. 

Lucina,  85. 

Luck  and  yoni,  78,  114. 

Saint,  86. 

Lucretia  and  Bathsheba,  xxxiv. 
Lucretius,  5. 
Lustration  for  Linga,  73. 
Lycian  coins,  10. 


Maacha,  121,  125. 

Maccabees,  129. 

Maffei,  49,  64,  84. 

Mahadeva,  4,  10,  68,  74,  90,  94. 

Maharajahs,  sect  of,  34. 

Mahomet,  110. 

Mahometans,  ix. 

Maia,  94. 

Maidens,  Scotch,  23. 

Male  and  female,  xix.,  56. 

symbols,  2-19,  115. 

Venus,  62. 
Malignancy,  16. 
Malta  cakes,  18,  19. 

cross,  41,  42,  70. 
Mama  Ocello,  25. 
Mandrakes,  56. 
Mantras,  74,  95. 
Mariette,  116. 
Marriage  of  deities,  133. 
Harteau,  le,  86. 
Martial's  epigrams,  85. 
Marttand,  16. 
Mary,  1,  7,  8,  22,  25,  52,  76,  91, 

104,  131. 
Masonic  appropriations,  40. 


Masons'  marks,  95. 

Mater  Creatoris,  xx. 

Maypole,  69,  70,  121. 

Mecca,  63. 

Men  and  animals,  xvii. 

Mexico,  Virgin  and  Child  in,  76. 

Microscope  and  Brahmin,  xi. 

Milcom,  129. 

Minarets  and  spires,  xxii.,  74. 

Ministers  of  God,  xvii. 

Mirror,  100. 

Miss  Cadiere,  34. 

Misunderstanding,  ix. 

Mithraic  lion,  64,  65. 

Mitre,  21,  31. 

Modern  nun,  51,  52. 

Monkey,  18. 

MontfauQon,  54. 

Moon  and  Isis,  97. 

and  months,  113. 

and  sun,  6. 

female,  xix.,  57,  76,  77. 
Moore  on  pillar  stones,  60. 
Moor's  Hindu  Pantheon,  7,  9,  11, 
12,  19,  26,  28,  68,  71,  76,  88, 
89,  95. 

Morocco  Jews,  3. 
Mosaics,  Christian,  129. 
Mother  of  God,  76. 
UVYOS,  muchos,  57. 
Mudras,  74. 

Multimammia,  28,  30,  121. 
Mumbo  Jumbo,  xv. 
Mutilation,  sacred,  xxvi.,  xxviii. 
Mylitta,  4,  25. 
Myrtle  leaf,  xxii. 
Mysteries,  104,  105. 

in  religion,  xii.,  xiv. 
Myth  and  meaning,  xii. 
Mythology,  Coleman's,  68. 

Nabhi,  33. 

Names  of  sexual  parts,  xi.,  10,  57. 

Nana,  55. 

Naples  museum,  29. 


144 


INDEX. 


Narratives,  fictitious,  XT. 

Paschal  lamb,  viii. 

Nations  and  religions,  viii. 

Pausanias,  100. 

Nature,  la,  88,  91. 

Penn,  2. 

Navel,  32,  51. 

Pentangle,  40. 

Nebo,  33. 

Persephone,  112. 

Nepthys,  12,  13. 

Personal  vice,  xxiv. 

Newton,  Mr.,  6,  50,  76,  77,  107. 

Pesth,  4. 

Newton  stone,  the,  60. 

Phallic  emblems,  15,  16. 

Niceties  in  symbolism,  xxiv. 

hand,  127. 

Night  and  creation,  29. 

towers,  75. 

Nimbus  and  tonsure,  51. 

Phallus,  xxii.,  16,  121. 

Nirvana,  109. 

found  in  ancient  cave,  113. 

Noah,  xxv.,  xxvi.,  8. 

Phantoms,  xiv. 

Nouns  and  genders,  57. 

Philistines  and  foreskins,  xxvii. 

Nun,  modern,  51,  52. 

Philosopher,  viii. 

Nuns  and  priests,  xxi. 

Philosopher's  stone,  108. 

Nymphseum,  62. 

Phoenicia,  128. 

Phoenicians,  ix. 

0  and  T,  xx.,  96. 

Phoenix,  129. 

Cannes,  2,  67. 

Phryne,  2. 

Oath,  how  sworn,  xxviii.,  62,  63. 

Picart,  81. 

Obatala,  114. 

Pillar,  73. 

Obelises,  34,  99,  124,  125. 

and  hole,  63. 

Officer,  Roman,  pious,  73. 

phallic,  122  sq. 

Ogham,  60. 

Pine  cone,  50,  84. 

Orthodox  love,  xxi. 

tree,  78. 

improprieties,  xxi. 

and  fleece,  69. 

Osir,  120. 

Pipe  in  worship,  35. 

Osiris,   10,  12,   13,  61,  109,  112, 

Pique,  la,  86,  92. 

121. 

Pistol,  70. 

Ouranos,  5,  42,  92. 

Pluto,  67. 

Ouseley,  Sir  W.,  67. 

Porte  de  la  vie,  88. 

POWER,  the,  xvii. 

Palenque,  12,  13. 

Prakriti,  94. 

Palestine,  55. 

Prayers,  x. 

and  Bengal,  xxvii. 

Prejudices,  xi. 

Pallium,  102. 

Priapus,  14,  23,  49,  84. 

Palm  Sunday,  128. 

Priests,  viii.,  xiv.,  xxi.,  52,  91. 

tree,  45,  69,  123  sq. 

Profane,  the,  xiv. 

Palmyra,  128. 

Prophet  of  Allah,  9. 

Paphian  Venus,  6,  132. 

Proserpine,  67,  112. 

Paradise,  110. 

Prostitution,  xxxii.,  19. 

Paris  and  apple,  55. 

Prosumnus  and  Liber,  34. 

Parsley,  xii,  70. 

Psalter  of  Virgin,  131. 

Part  for  whole,  100,  124. 

Pudendum,  116. 

Parvati,  90-94. 

Pugin,  87,  96. 

INDEX. 


145 


Pyramid,  32,  33,  133. 

Quartette,  Assyrian,  112. 

Qubbah,  127. 

Queen  of  heaven,  76,  131. 

Queue,  la,  90. 

Quince,  56,  84. 

Ea,  12. 

Bain,  xix. 

Bam,  100. 

Bawlinson's  Monarchies,  26. 

Behoboam,  121. 

Belies  and  ark,  xiv. 

Beligion,  conservative,  107. 

supernatural,  xviii. 

symbols  in,  vii.,  xvi.,  xvii. 

unnecessary  to  man,  xvii. 
Beptile,  mistaken,  xiv. 
Besearch  in  symbolism,  x. 
Besemblance,  xi. 
Eesurrection,  109. 
Beticence  of  English  authors,  xxv., 

xxxi. 

Beview,  Edinburgh,  xiv. 
Bhjea,  25,  69. 
Bibbons  and  Thyrsus,  50. 
Bimmon,  7. 
Bishi,  7. 
Bitual  and  symbolism,  xvii. 

of  the  dead,  109. 

Eitualists  and  second  command- 
ment, xvii. 
Bod,  34. 
Boman  Catholic  priests,  52,  102. 

priests  of  Isis,  52. 
Bomance  of  Bose,  131. 
Eomans,  early,  virtue  of,  xxviii. 
Bosary,  ancient,  83. 
Bose,  the,  131. 
Bound  towers,  Irish,  69. 

Sabeanism,  66. 
<ra/3vTro? ,  sabuttos,  57. 
Sacred  fire,  111. 
prostitution,  xxxii, 


shields,  50. 

Sacrifice  to  Priapus,  49. 
Sffihrimnir,  110. 
St.  Croix,  xxv. 
St.  George,  118. 
Saintly  impropriety,  34. 
Sakti,  4, 8,  25,  50,  90,  93;  116. 

sodhana,  xxi.,  94. 
Sakya  muni,  xxii. 
Sami,  82. 

Sanctified  sins,  xxi. 
Savages  and  religion,  107. 
Saxons,  110. 
Scandinavian  figures,  57. 
Scavenger  wanted,  xvi. 
Sceptics,  43. 
Schliemann,  Dr.,  44. 
Sciolism  is  intolerant,  43. 
Scourge,  61. 
Scrotum,  45. 
Scythian  burials,  60. 
Seal,  117. 

Second  commandment,  xiii. 
Secrets  and  children,  xi. 

for  the  wise,  xii. 
Sectarial  symbols,  95. 
Sectarians,  viii. 
Sects,  rival,  xx. 
Selenitis,  82. 
Sellon,  Mr.,  18,  73. 
Sennacherib,  122. 
Sensuality,  Jewish,  xxv. 
Septuagint,  119. 
Serapis,  52. 
Serpent,  xiii.,  xxiv.,  4,  5,  10,  13, 

14,  35,  90,  123. 
Serpents  in  coitu,  117. 
Servatos,  66. 
Seven,  sacred,  113,  130. 
Sex  in  religion,  xx.-xxii . 
Sexual  Christianity,  16. 
Shams,  xv. 
Sharpe,  Mr.,  11,  13. 
Sheep  and  goats,  10. 
Shelah  na  gig,  66,  78. 
Shields,  sacred,  50. 


146 

Silence  of  English  authors,  xxv. 

Simpson,  Mr.,  9. 

Sin,  vii. 

Sinner,  when  a  saint,  vii. 

Sins,  how  punished,  10,  11. 

Sistra,  19,  20. 

Sistrum,  51,  53,  81,  96,  97,  116, 

130. 

Siva,  4,  19,  74,  116,  130,  134. 
Smith,  Col.  H.,  61. 
Snails,  1,  8. 
Snakes,  thanatoid,  xiii. 
Snood,  the  Virgin,  23. 
Socrates'  Ecclesiastical  History,  19. 
Sodomites,  121. 
Solar  symbols,  61. 
Solomon,  129, 

and  Hercules,  xxviii. 
Solstice,  111. 
Song  of  Solomon,  55. 
Spain,  curious  church  in,  66, 
Spanish  order  of  Golden  Fleece, 

70. 

Spartans  and  Christians,  xxk. 
Spear,  99. 

Spectacle  ornament,  58. 
Spectres,  xiv. 

Spires  and  minarets,  xxii.,  75. 
Spots,  3,  7. 
Spouse  of  God,  76. 
sun,  xix. 
Spring,  111. 
Sri-chakra,  94. 

-jantra,  39. 

Statue,  a  dirty,  cleaned,  xvi. 
Statuette  of  Venus,  55. 
Stigmata,  79. 
Stone  circles,  59. 
Stories,  xiv.,  xv.,  115. 
Strabo,  xxxii. 
Summary,  101. 
Summer,  111. 
Sun,  xviii.,  xix.,  6,  35,  36,  57,  76, 

109  sq. 

Supernatural  religion  xviii. 
SUPBEMB,  THE,  xvii.,  xix. 


INDEX. 


Surgeons  and  secrets,  xi. 

Surplice,  52. 

Swearing  by  sexual  organ,  62,  63. 

Switzerland,  113. 

Symbolism,  82,  100,  107. 

Symbols,   vii.-xxxiv.,   1-19,   5,   9, 

114,  115,  123. 
Syro  Phoenicians,  118. 

T.  and  0.,  xx.,  96. 
Tabor,  light  of,  51. 
Talbot,  Fox,  112 
Tamar,  128. 
Tammuz,  112. 
Tarquin  and  David,  xxxiv. 
Taylor,  Col.  Meadows,  60. 
Templar's  shield,  51. 
Temple,  98. 

door  and  yoni,  66 
Terra,  5. 
Terre,  la,  92. 
Thalaba,  xvi. 
Theodosius,  19. 
Thespius,  xxviii. 
Thigh,  meaning  of,  xxvii. 
Things,  when  symbolic,  xxiii. 
Thor's  hammer,  44. 
Three  heads,  two  bodies,  60. 
Thumb,  3,  4. 
Thyrsus,  49,  50. 
Tiara,  papal,  64,  99. 
Timon,  le,  86. 
Tod's  Eajpootanah,  55. 
Token  of  virginity,  22. 
Tombs  in  the  Dekkan,  60. 
Tonsure  and  Nimbus,  51. 
Tortoise,  xxiii.,  19,  99,  100. 
Towers,  69,  75. 
Tree  and  serpent,  10,  55. 

of  life,  108  sq.,  130,  133. 

stump,  10. 

Trefoil  ornament,  16,  45. 
Trench  and  digger,  xxiii. 
Triad  or  Trinity,  xx.,  xxvi,  4,  5,  9, 

16,  64,  101. 
Triangles,  xxiii.,  32,  38,  39,  40,  87. 


INDEX. 


147 


Trident,  8. 

Tripliform  arrow,  49. 

Trisul,  134. 

Troy,  ix. 

Truth,  test  of,  x.,  xi.,  xiv.,  xv. 

Turks,  xxxiii. 

Turnip  lantern,  xiv. 

Types,  vii.,  xxii.,  xxiii. 

Unintelligible  prayer,  x. 
Unknown  emblems,  x. 
Urim  and  Thummim,  viii. 

Vajarsvatta,  79. 

Valhalla,  109. 

Vampires,  xv.-xvii. 

Veiled  language,  104. 

Venice,  113. 

Venus,  1,  4,  6,  11,  19,  25,  49,  55, 

62,  88,  100,  112. 
Verge,  la,  85. 

Verger  de  Cypris,  le,  21,  85. 
Vesica piscis,  xxii.,  8, 12,  16,  47,  53, 

90,  91,  93. 
Vespasian,  128. 

Vetal  or  Betal,  a  Hindoo  deity,  60. 
Vine  leaves,  49. 
Violets  and  Cybele, 
Virga,  49,  57. 
Virgin,  xx.,  xxi.,   1-28,  52,  75,  77, 

131. 

black,  28,  29,  79,  80. 
Virginity,  22,  71. 
Virgo  intacta,  81. 


Vishnu,  68,  88. 
Vitruvius,  111. 
Vive  le  Eoi,  123. 
Vulgate,  119. 

Wafer  and  cup,  5,  96. 

of  life,  129. 
Water  of  feet,  xxxi. 
West,  111. 
Wheel,  5,  34,  61. 
Whip  in  symbolism,  61. 
Wicklow,  feasts  in,  69. 
Wilderness,  vii. 
Wilson,  H.  H.,  on  Hindoo  religion, 

55,  93. 
Winter,  111. 

Womb  and  dolphin,  8,  55. 
Women  in  Hindostan  and  linga, 
33,  81. 

in  worship,  xxxii.,  94. 

naked  on  church  doors,  66,  114. 
Worship  of  images,  73. 
sun,  111  sq. 

Yazili  Kaia,  sculpture  at,  71. 
Yoni,  4,  7,  11-30,  62-73,  78.  91, 
115. 

on  Irish  churches,  114. 
Yorkshire,  fish  in,  2. 

stone  circles  in. 

Z  ornament,  58,  59. 
Zipporah,  xxvi. 


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